California Strategies: Covering California’s Remaining Uninsured and Improving Affordability
REVIEW OF 2018 POLICY PROPOSALS
This issue brief analyzes policy proposals advanced this year to move the state closer to universal coverage by focusing on the challenges many Californians face.
California’s successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) dramatically reduced the number of uninsured to an historic low of 7 percent, approximately three million uninsured Californians.
As outlined in this ITUP issue brief, Californians have different reasons for being uninsured, including individuals who cannot access existing coverage programs because of immigration status and low- and moderate-income individuals who cannot afford the cost of premiums or cost sharing at the point of care. Each of the subgroups of the remaining uninsured, and the coverage and affordability challenges they face, can be addressed by targeted policy changes.