The recent agreement between the California state legislature and Governor Jerry Brown to open the state’s public healthcare program to children who are in the United States illegally received widespread praise on the principal national newscasts of Univision, Telemundo and MundoFox.
The measure, which will add tens of millions of dollars of additional tax burdens to California’s taxpayers, was finally agreed upon as part of a budget deal by Gov. Brown, who previously had expressed reservations about the costs.
In addition to the expanded Medi-Cal coverage, the new California budget agreement also creates a new immigrant affairs post in the Governor’s office and allocates $15 million for naturalization services.
Univision anchor Jorge Ramos hailed the developments as a “double victory.” His network’s story failed to include any critical perspective. Meanwhile, MundoFox anchor Rolando Nichols recognized the new benefit as “controversial” and only Telemundo included critical perspective, by Republican analyst Luis Alvarado, in its report.
The approved expansion of Medi-Cal will extend coverage to an estimated 170,000 young people under age 19 in the state. According to Telemundo’s María Paula Ochoa, $40 million dollars will be allocated towards this end next year, and this figure will rise to $132 million the second year.
Ochoa noted that California is “the first state in the country to subsidize this group.”
Relevant portions of the referenced Univision, Telemundo and MundoFox national newscasts appear below:
Noticiero Univisión 6/17/2015 6:30pm
JORGE RAMOS, ANCHOR: California became the first state to grant health insurance to undocumented children thanks to a budget agreement between the State Assembly and Democratic Governor Jerry Brown. The agreement also includes a budget allocation to create the first office for migratory issues in the state of California. Liliana Escalante tells us why, for the immigrant community, this is a double victory.
…
KEVIN DE LEON, STATE SENATOR: We’re going to invest in a very special program for health care for these super-young, these innocent children, which we value today.
Noticiero Telemundo 6/17/2015 6:30pm
MARIA PAULA OCHOA, CORRESPONDENT: This program is part of an agreement for a new state budget. As the Governor announced in a press conference, it would help children and families who live in the most difficult circumstances. The initial cost would be $40 million dollars, and later it would go up to $132 million each year. But not everyone is in agreement.
LUIS ALVARADO, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Why is the state taking this responsibility, if it truly is a federal responsibility?
KEVIN DE LEON, STATE SENATOR: Many of these children, when they get sick, come to the hospital emergency rooms in California and it costs us too much money.
MARIA PAULA OCHOA: And California would be the only state in the country to subsidize this group.
Noticiero MundoFox 6/17/2015 5:30 p.m.
ROLANDO NICHOLS, HOST: The budget was approved in California and in it was included health insurance for undocumented children. Eduardo Blancas tells us about this benefit that is coming, with all, all the controversy.
