CA has novel view of healthcare for undocumented immigrants

Angel Torres hasn't been to the doctor since coming to the United States illegally more than two decades ago. But now, his vision is getting blurry and he frequently feels tired. Torres, 51, worries he might have diabetes like his brothers. "Time is passing," he said in Spanish. "I need to get checked out." Torres is in luck. He lives in California, which has a dramatically different approach to health care for undocumented immigrants than most other states. Several counties — including Los Angeles, where Torres lives — offer these immigrants free coverage at local clinics. In addition, as many as 500,000 low-income immigrant parents eligible for President Obama's new deportation relief likely will qualify for Medi-Cal, California's version of Medicaid.