Medicaid expansion for undocumented adults and its association with health insurance coverage among noncitizens in California, 2017-2023.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

California's 4.8 million noncitizen adults, half of whom are undocumented, endure substantial exclusions from health care. To address this gap, California policymakers expanded full-scope, state-funded Medicaid without discriminating by immigration status, first extending coverage to undocumented young adults (18-25 years) in 2020 and then to older adults (≥50 years) in 2022.

Methods

Using the American Community Survey (2017-2023), we assessed whether California's Medicaid expansion for young and older undocumented adults was associated with changes in insurance coverage by comparing pre- and post-expansion differences between citizens and noncitizens (difference-in-differences).

Results

Compared to citizens, the expansion was not associated with increase

SUBMITTER: Guadamuz JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12849358 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature