Covered California May Soon Be Open To Undocumented Immigrants

SACRAMENTO (KCBS) – There's a move underway in Sacramento to allow the state's undocumented immigrants to get health insurance through Covered California.

Democrats on the Assembly Health Committee on Tuesday approved a proposal by state Senator Ricardo Lara of Bell Gardens to ask the federal government to sell insurance through the exchange to undocumented immigrants.

They would not be eligible for subsidies to help pay for coverage.

Undocumented immigrants can buy health coverage through an insurance agent, but the bill's supporters said more would get insurance if they were allowed to sign up on the Covered California website.

Critics of the bill said legislators should focus on problems impacting U.S. citizens.