For 30 years, Health Access California has fought for the right of ALL Californians to have access to quality, affordable healthcare. Our work is grounded in our inclusive vision that we all benefit when everyone has access to needed care and coverage, regardless of how much money they have, where they are born, the color of their skin, their physical or mental abilities, their sexuality and gender identity, or the faith they practice. Our health is inextricably linked to the ability to live without fear of being deported or separated from your loved ones. If any Californians are scared to sign up for coverage or seek care, that leads to broader public health consequences. Allowing discrimination in any aspect of our society has health implications and leads to health disparities and issues for the entire community.
President Trump’s executive orders on health care, immigration, and more are an affront to our values and our work. Just as California and the United States have benefited from immigration, so have our culture, our economy, and health system. Health Access is proud to be an organization staffed in part by immigrants and the children and grandchildren of immigrants and refugees. Bigotry and discrimination have no place in our public discourse, and especially not in the highest levels of our government. Turning away refugees, building a border wall, discriminating against Muslims has many negative impacts on individual Californians and on our state as a whole, including our health system. But like the Congressional proposals to take away coverage for over 30 million Americans, it comes down to a question of values, of whether we as a state and a nation care for one another—both literally and figuratively. Health Access reaffirms that we care for our fellow Californians and Americans—including those who are undocumented, Mexican, Muslim, or who have family in other countries. The question we ask is are we in this together or are you on your own?
Health Access is firmly committed to protecting the gains we’ve made under Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act. We will continue to advocate for additional steps to cover all Californians toward #Health4All, regardless of immigration status. We stand in solidarity with our partners and allies to fulfill our country’s promise of justice and equality for all.