Ex-Biden official running in blue state gubernatorial race must tackle key issue amid skyrocketing costs

California gubernatorial candidate and erstwhile Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said the authorities whitethorn request to rein successful its Medicaid programme arsenic it faces concerns astir costs partially related to those successful the state illegally utilizing the system.

Becerra, a Democrat who antecedently served arsenic the Golden State’s lawyer general, explained his stance successful an interrogation with Fox 11 Los Angeles this week.

"I judge we should yet get there," helium said astir allowing radical to enroll successful Medi-Cal adjacent if they’re undocumented.

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Health Secretary Xavier Becerra testified earlier the House Judiciary Subcommittee connected Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement. (House Judiciary GOP / X)

"Can we spend to bash it? That's wherever a politician has to decide... if we can’t spend it, we person to beryllium realistic. If we can't spend it, however bash we bash it?" helium added.

"But erstwhile you bash the scrub… this is wherever it’s important, if you don’t person the dollars to bash it, however bash you bash it? You request the money. California needs a balanced budget. You scrub it. If you find a way, you bash it and don’t delay. But if you scrub it and you can’t fig retired however to bash it, past that’s the world and that’s the choices we have," the erstwhile Biden authoritative continued.

The wide Medi-Cal programme was primitively expected to outgo $6 cardinal until a California fund authoritative revealed that it’s projected to outgo $9.5 cardinal this fiscal year. The governor’s bureau past asked for 2 abstracted loans, totaling $6.2 billion.

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Illegal immigrants hold to beryllium picked up astatine the confederate borderline connected May 23, 2024. (Bill Melugin/Fox News)

When asked by KCRA, Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is term-limited and volition permission bureau successful January 2027, said that portion amerciable immigrants successful the programme are not the full issue, it’s a contributing factor.

"That’s partial," Newsom said past month.

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"With pugnacious fiscal choices ahead, Governor Newsom, jointly with Pro Tem McGuire and Speaker Rivas, volition measure proposals to rein successful semipermanent spending – including in Medi-Cal – portion moving to support the halfway wellness and societal services Californians trust on," Newsom spokesperson Izzy Gardon said successful a connection to Fox News Digital. The politician and his bureau person said rising costs person led to higher than expected Medicaid costs successful different states that bash not let amerciable immigrants to enroll.

"Immigration presumption doesn't matter," according to the California Department of Health Care services website, but Republicans person staunchly criticized allowing amerciable immigrants successful the program.

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Newsom and Trump look off. (Pool)

"Even Jerry Brown refused to grow Medi-Cal to each amerciable immigrants due to the fact that helium knew it was fiscally irresponsible and unsustainable," California Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones tweeted past month. "Now nether Newsom, ineligible residents are paying the terms some financially and successful reduced entree to healthcare. The nationalist deserves answers: Why are the costs truthful overmuch higher than what Newsom promised? What is Newsom’s program to hole the fiscal catastrophe helium created?" 

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The 2026 California governor’s contention is expected to beryllium contentious, arsenic Becerra, erstwhile Rep. Katie Porter, erstwhile Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis are already successful the contention connected the Democratic side. Reports swirl that erstwhile Vice President Kamala Harris could marque her comeback into authorities aft losing the 2024 predetermination by moving for governor. On the Republican side, Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco is presently successful the race, and galore others are expected to articulation him.