A recent bill introduced in the state of California is all set to make it the first state to allow unlawful immigrants to receive medical help and participate in its health care exchange program. This will enable the extension of coverage to more than 1 million people in the state.

The bill is a measure from Democratic Senator Ricardo Lara, and is all set to change the state law to allow illegal immigrants access to Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program. The bill would also empower the state’s Health and Human Services Agency to get access to a waiver from the federal government that would allow unlawful immigrants to enroll in the state’s exchange, Covered California.

The state of California has an unauthorized population bearing 2.6 million immigrants. Out of this 1.6 million people who have access to health insurance receive it through their employers or county-based programs, stated the government affairs Manager of the California Immigrant Policy Centre.

Many Senate Republicans of the state of California, while they acknowledged the requirement of immigration reform were not very decisive in imposing budget demands on the state, as they felt that the government had failed to act, and the state of California was bearing the brunt of it. They stated that they understood the obstacles and difficulties being faced by the immigrants – the rationale behind these bills was admirable, but without enough funds and finances it was extremely difficult for taxpayers of the state of California to finance these bills, they mooted.