Becerra pledges to keep Californians insured after federal cuts

Becerra stated his commitment to ensuring no Californian loses their health insurance, aiming instead to increase coverage. "I want to get more of Californians insured and covered. And what I will do is I will become the backstop. California will become the backstop for health care," he said.

These commitments come as federal healthcare cuts are slated to take effect next year, potentially impacting over 1.3 million Californians. The current governor, Gavin Newsom, has already faced state budget pressures and federal reductions, leading him to scale back some of his initiatives for expanding healthcare access.

Earlier in the day, state legislative leaders involved in health policy indicated they would urge Becerra to compensate for federal cuts to Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program, specifically for undocumented residents, which the Newsom administration had previously reduced. Becerra also voiced strong support for a proposed "fair share" tax. This tax would penalize businesses with a significant number of employees receiving public assistance like Medi-Cal, though the precise structure is still under development. Becerra questioned the necessity of subsidizing healthcare for full-time workers whose employers do not provide adequate compensation for insurance, suggesting that larger companies might face increased taxes if they fail to pay their employees sufficiently.