Wilson Sets Prenatal Care Cutoff Dec. 1

Starting next week, California authorities plan to notify tens of thousands of pregnant women and their health care providers that the state will eliminate prenatal care to illegal immigrants on Dec. 1 under terms of the new federal welfare law.

In papers filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, the Wilson administration declared that emergency regulations implementing the cutoff will be released as soon as today, and notices to 70,000 pregnant women statewide may begin going out Nov. 1.

Immigrant advocates are seeking a federal court order to block the governor’s plan as a violation of the injunction against Proposition 187, the 1994 ballot initiative aimed at barring illegal immigrants from most public benefits. The dispute is pending before U.S. District Judge Mariana R. Pfaelzer, who issued the injunction blocking implementation of much of Proposition 187. The judge could issue an order to halt the state plan or could decide not to act, thereby allowing Sacramento to proceed.

The governor says California is merely doing what Congress mandated in the sweeping overhaul of welfare signed into law by President Clinton in late August. That law requires that states and local governments end most public aid to illegal immigrants, unless states pass laws authorizing such assistance.

Gov. Pete Wilson has focused initially on prenatal care, authorities say, because such aid is among the most expensive and easily identifiable sources of assistance for illegal immigrants.

In Los Angeles County, probably the nation’s largest care provider for illegal immigrants, health professionals have assailed the governor’s plan as likely to increase birth complications and emergency room costs. “You’re not only risking the health of the mother and the unborn child, but risking additional costs in the long term,” said Irene Riley, chief of government relations with the county Department of Health Services.

Los Angeles County stands to lose about $9.2 million annually in state Medi-Cal monies now provided for about 20,000 undocumented women who receive prenatal care in county facilities, Riley said. The county plans to continue serving the women after the state cutoff, Riley said, but will have to pick up the costs for those unable to pay--as well as serving others turned away from private clinics and doctors because of the unavailability of state reimbursement.

While not disputing the health benefits of prenatal care, Wilson says the state simply cannot afford the expenditure. Prenatal aid to illegal immigrants now costs the state an estimated $69 million annually.

“We believe that every woman should have access to prenatal care, but that care should be provided by Ottawa, Mexico City or whatever country that woman is a legal citizen of,” said Sean Walsh, a spokesman for Wilson.