California Health Care Foundation Opposes Policy Threatening Immigrant Health Coverage

The California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) operates as an independent nonprofit focused on enhancing the health care system across California to ensure comprehensive access for all residents regardless of income or immigration status. Their work spans multiple fronts including publishing detailed reports, providing educational resources, facilitating expert networks, and funding health care projects aligned with strategic goals. Recently, CHCF has publicly opposed a proposed rule by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security aimed at rescinding the 2022 Public Charge rule, which CHCF argues would introduce uncertainty into immigration policy and negatively impact immigrant families' access to health care benefits. The proposed DHS rule risks creating a chilling effect whereby eligible immigrant families might disenroll from Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program due to fears about immigration consequences. This could lead to a significant loss of coverage, with estimates suggesting more than 422,000 Californians might lose health insurance coverage not due to eligibility issues but from fear and confusion. Given California's large immigrant population representing nearly a quarter of the nation’s immigrants, these changes could have broad public health implications. CHCF highlights that this rule is part of broader federal policies that jeopardize trust in the health care system, including increased Medicaid data sharing with immigration authorities and enforcement raids near health care facilities. Such tactics undermine health care settings as safe spaces, potentially causing patients to delay or avoid essential care, increase reliance on emergency services, and elevate health risks across communities. Public health impacts extend beyond immigrant populations, as disruptions in access to primary care can raise costs and strain hospital emergency departments, affecting the broader health care system and overall community well-being. CHCF strongly encourages stakeholders and health providers to actively engage in opposing such policies through public comments and advocacy. The organization remains committed to its foundational belief in health care as a human right and continues to support efforts ensuring timely, appropriate care access for all Californians. Its ongoing educational initiatives and advocacy at the state level aim to counteract emerging federal barriers that may hamper public health equity and coverage stability.