Q: Does federal medicaid program fund Medi-Cal that covers undocumented immigrants?
A: No—federal Medicaid dollars do not pay for California’s full-scope Medi-Cal coverage for undocumented immigrants. California funds that coverage with state-only money. Federal Medicaid funds are generally limited to Emergency Medicaid (and, in some cases, certain pregnancy-related services), not comprehensive benefits.
For context: California expanded Medi-Cal on Jan 1, 2024 to include income-eligible adults regardless of immigration status, and that expansion has been described and treated as state-funded in budgeting debates. (There have also been 2025 proposals to freeze new enrollment and add premiums for this state-funded coverage.
