On Friday, Los Angeles County healthcare agencies criticized the Trump Administration's decision to limit the access of undocumented Californians to federally funded health and social service programs.
“At L.A. County’s health departments, we are guided by the fundamental belief that health care is a human right and essential for the well-being of all people” the directors of L.A. Public Health, L.A. County Health Services, and L.A. County Mental Health Services wrote in a joint statement. “We stand united in our commitment to ensuring that every person—regardless of immigration status—can seek the healthcare services they need without fear or barriers.”
“This new federal policy threatens to undermine that mission.”
The agencies said that the announced changes will have a “massive impact” on programs run by their departments and that restricting access will worsen health outcomes and “deepen systemic inequities.”
Denying undocumented people access to federally funded healthcare programs can result in high rates of emergency room visits, hospitalizations, homelessness, and the spread of communicable diseases, according to the agencies.
“When people are afraid to seek care—or are blocked from accessing it altogether —prevention opportunities are limited, illnesses go untreated, mental health crises escalate, and substance use disorders worsen,” the statement reads. “Delayed care can lead to higher rates of emergency room visits, hospitalizations, homelessness, and the spread of communicable diseases. Ultimately, denying people the ability to receive timely care threatens the health of entire communities, not just those directly affected.”
On Thursday, July 10, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a “significant policy shift” that rescinded a 1998 interpretation of a 1996 bill issued during the Clinton Administration that extended federal public benefits to non-U.S. citizens.
In a press release, the HHS claimed that the 1998 policy "improperly narrowed the scope of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), uncutting the law by” allowing non-American citizens “to access program congress intended only for the American people.”
“For too long, the government has diverted hardworking Americans’ tax dollars to incentivize illegal immigration,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “Today’s action changes that—it restores integrity to federal social programs, enforces the rule of law, and protects vital resources for the American people.”
The policy will limit undocumented people’s access to thousands of health clinics, treatment centers, and family planning programs.
In their joint statement, local health agencies said they believe this policy shift will have a “chilling effect” on not just undocumented people, but also U.S. citizens who might qualify for federal health programs due to “fear and uncertainty.”
“It will also strain public and private providers’ ability to fund and sustain the services our communities rely on to stay healthy,” they said.
Local leaders have become increasingly concerned about the county’s ability to provide health and social services to people in need, as the federal administration continues to make cuts to programs that provide hundreds of millions of dollars in resources and funding.
In addition to denying undocumented people access to federal health services, the new federal budget will cut billions of dollars from Medicaid.
Dr. Christina Ghaly, director of Los Angeles County Health Services said in a statement earlier this month that while they are still reviewing the final bill, “it will result in hundreds of millions of dollars of cuts in revenue to our hospitals and clinics.”
This comes on top of budget cuts at the state level as well.
“L.A. Health Services has faced challenges before and persevered,” Ghaly said. “More lie ahead, and I remain committed to transparency and honesty as we navigate them together.”
