For Former Foster Kids, Moving Out of State Can Mean Losing Medicaid

Published

11 years ago

November 2, 2015

Oakland Post

By Anna Gorman , Kaiser Health News

Soon after moving to Utah this summer, Rainbow Sky Buck ended up at the hospital with a painful ear

infection. There, Buck learned she no longer had access to the free health coverage she had in California as

a former foster youth.

To pay for the care, Buck emptied out her bank account and borrowed money. “Luckily, I got my

antibiotics and I am okay now,” she said. “But what is going to happen next time?”

Under the health law, young adults who age of out of the foster care system are eligible for free Medicaid

coverage until they turn 26. The provision was an attempt to give them the same opportunity as other young people who can stay on their parents’ insurance until their 26th birthday.

But these young adults are encountering a major barrier: They are only guaranteed coverage in the state

where they were in foster care. States have the option of extending the benefit to all former foster youths,

but only about a dozen have done so.

Now, advocates and policymakers are trying to change the law at the federal level, so former foster youths

don’t lose access to Medicaid coverage no matter where they move.

Reps. Karen Bass, D-Calif., and Jim McDermott, D-Wash., have proposed legislation that would allow

them to qualify for Medicaid, the government health program for low-income Americans, in any state.

Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., has introduced a similar bill that he said would be a simple clarification of what

Congress intended. Meanwhile, advocates are pushing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to

change its interpretation of the original provision.

First Focus, which advocates for foster youths, has been receiving calls from young people who had no idea

that they would lose health insurance when they moved.

“We really do feel an urgency about this,” said Shadi Houshyar, vice president of child welfare policy at

the organization. “So many people who have aged out have significant health needs and coverage is so

important. There shouldn’t be an additional barrier.”

Former foster youths are more likely than their peers to have physical and mental health needs, experts say.

Ongoing research in Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa shows that 22 percent of former foster youths had been

hospitalized at least once in the previous year and one-third had two or more emergency room visits.

Just like other young people, former foster youths move to different states for school, jobs or family, said

Fatima Morales, policy and outreach associate for the advocacy group Children Now. Morales said they

shouldn’t be penalized for doing so.

Morales said her organization is trying to inform youths what they might face if they move. “They need to

know how their health coverage might be impacted,” she said. “It’s just something that they need to weigh.”

Lezlie Martinez, 19, is weighing her options now. She is hoping to move from California to Colorado

because she wants to live in a place with a lower cost of living. Her boyfriend is already there and she is

looking for hospitality jobs to support herself and her 2-year-old son.

But she worries that she may be left uninsured and unable to pay for medical treatment for eczema,

allergies and fibromyalgia. “It is causing foster youth to be stuck in the same state they were raised in,” said

Martinez, who lives in Oceanside, Calif. “It is really stressing me out.”

Buck said she decided to move to Sandy City, Utah, because of the limited job prospects in the small

northern California town of Crescent City. Before moving, she asked social workers about whether she

would still qualify for free health coverage and was told that she would. Buck said she was shocked to learn

otherwise.

She is no longer seeing a therapist for depression and said she is weaning herself off antidepressants

because she can’t afford them. Buck said she also worries about getting another ear infection and not being

able to afford treatment.

“It is just scary to think I am completely on my own,” said Buck, who recently got a job at an automotive

shop but doesn’t get insurance from her employer. “I don’t want to leave, but this is almost forcing me to

move back to California.”

Kaiser Health News can be reached at http://khn.org/

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Rep. Kamlager-Dove Introduces Bill to Protect Women in Custody After Reports Detailing Miscarriages and Neglect

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

Published

4 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) on May 7, reintroduced updated legislation aimed at strengthening protections and healthcare standards for pregnant and postpartum women held in federal custody, including in immigration detention facilities.

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

The legislation builds on a bipartisan version previously passed by the House during the 117th Congress. The updated bill includes new standards for healthcare access, mental health and substance use treatment, high-risk pregnancy care, family unity protections and increased federal oversight.

“Proper pregnancy care is a human right, regardless of your immigration or incarceration status,” Kamlager-Dove said in a statement. “It’s unacceptable that there are virtually no legal safeguards for pregnant women in federal custody.”

The bill would also limit the use of restraints and restrictive housing for pregnant women, improve data collection on maternal health in custody and require additional staff training and enforcement measures.

Supporters of the measure said the legislation is intended to address long-standing concerns about maternal healthcare and safety in detention settings, particularly for Black women and low-income women who are disproportionately impacted by incarceration and health disparities.

“Pregnant women in custody should never be subjected to dangerous and inhumane treatment that threatens their health, dignity, or the well-being of their babies,” said Patrice Willoughby, chief of policy and legislative affairs for the NAACP and a longtime public policy and government affairs strategist, in a statement.

A 2021 report estimated there are about 58,000 admissions of pregnant women into U.S. jails and prisons each year. Kamlager’s statement also cited a recent investigation by NBC News and Bloomberg Law that identified allegations of severe mistreatment or medical neglect involving at least 54 pregnant women or families in county jails between 2017 and 2024.

Federal policy under the Department of Homeland Security restricts the detention of pregnant, postpartum and nursing immigrants except in extreme cases. However, the agency reported that ICE deported 363 pregnant, postpartum or nursing women between January 2025 and February 2026, including 16 recorded miscarriages during that period.

The bill is cosponsored by several House Democrats and backed by organizations including the NAACP and the Vera Institute of Justice.

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How Is AI Affecting California? The State Wants You to Share Your Story

The program marks the first time the state has opened the platform to all Californians. State officials said the effort is designed to give residents a direct role in discussions about how AI should be regulated and used as the technology rapidly expands across industries.

Published

4 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced May 7 that California is expanding its Engaged California digital democracy initiative statewide, inviting residents to help shape future state policies on artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on jobs and the economy.

“We’ve got to be clear-eyed about this moment: AI is moving fast, bringing enormous opportunity, but also real risks,” Newsom said in a statement. “Californians deserve a seat at the table as we shape what’s to come.”

The initiative will roll out in two phases. Beginning immediately, Californians can sign up online to share how AI is affecting their work and communities and provide ideas for possible government action. Later this summer, a smaller group reflecting the state’s workforce demographics will participate in live discussions focused on developing policy recommendations.

State officials said the goal is to identify areas of agreement among Californians and provide policymakers with public feedback as the state develops future AI regulations and workforce strategies.

Engaged California is modeled after digital democracy programs used in Taiwan and is intended to encourage structured public discussion rather than social media-style debate. Officials described the effort as a form of “deliberative democracy” aimed at helping residents engage directly in state decision-making.

“The more Californians are engaged in the democratic process, the better able we’ll be to confront the challenges we face together,” said Nick Maduros, California Secretary of Government Operations, in a statement.

The statewide launch builds on two earlier pilot programs. One pilot gathered public input following the Los Angeles firestorms to help guide recovery efforts, while another collected ideas from state employees about improving government operations.

California has positioned itself as a national leader in AI policy and development. Since 2023, the Newsom administration has introduced initiatives focused on responsible AI use in government, cybersecurity protections, workforce training and regulations targeting risks such as deepfakes and AI-generated robocalls.

The state has also partnered with companies in Silicon Valley — including NVIDIA, Google, Adobe, IBM and Microsoft — to expand AI education and workforce training programs across California schools and universities.

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California Launches Free Diaper Program for Newborns Statewide

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

Published

4 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that California will launch a first-in-the-nation program providing free diapers to families with newborns, part of a broader effort to lower costs for parents and improve infant health outcomes.

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

State officials said hospitals participating in the program will give families the diapers when they are discharged after birth, helping parents leave with an immediate supply of newborn essentials.

“Every baby born in California deserves a healthy start in life,” Newsom said in a statement. He said the program is part of California’s broader affordability efforts, which also include free school meals, universal preschool for four-year-olds and expanded after-school programs.

The announcement comes ahead of Mother’s Day and is tied to the administration’s broader CalRx initiative, which aims to reduce costs for essential products and medications. State officials said California is also exploring ways to lower diaper prices by challenging high costs from major brands.

The first year of the program will prioritize hospitals serving large numbers of Medi-Cal patients, with plans to expand to additional hospitals and birthing centers over time. Officials said the effort is intended to reduce financial pressure on low-income families and improve infant and maternal health by ensuring parents have access to clean diapers.

“California families deserve to feel supported during one of life’s more exciting, yet vulnerable transitions,” First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom said in a statement. She said the program would allow parents to focus on caring for their newborns instead of worrying about basic supplies.

According to Baby2Baby, one in two families in the United States struggles to afford diapers. The organization has distributed more than half a billion items to children over the past 15 years through partnerships with shelters, hospitals, foster care programs and schools.

State officials said Baby2Baby will oversee diaper purchasing, warehousing and distribution through its existing hospital and community partnerships across California.