California lawmakers' plan to ask federal health officials to allow undocumented immigrants to purchase health plans on the state exchange could not only set a national precedent, but also create a "combustible" political reaction, Kaiser Health News reports. Some say a pending bill sponsored by Democratic state Sen. Ricardo Lara would be mostly symbolic, as per Affordable Care Act rules, immigrants wouldn't be able to receive federal subsidies--and thus likely couldn't afford to purchase coverage.
Still, the bill may have a decent shot at getting passed, and if it does, health policy expert Tim Jost tells the publication, "I can almost guarantee in the right wing media, this would play a pretty big role." Article