Salina Arredondo, Public Health Watch

The planned cuts sent immigrants scrambling for last-minute dental care. Now, many remain unclear about whether they still have dental coverage, or firmly believe it will end next year.

Driving the decline, experts say, are several state and federal policy changes that block or discourage immigrants from getting coverage.

By the end of this decade, 10.8 million Californians — or one quarter of the state’s population — will be over 60 years old. That could push the state to change the way it prepares for rising temperatures.