The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) has released a new study showing that three years after California launched its online health insurance marketplace under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a whopping 72 percent of its 5.8 million residents who were previously uninsured now have insurance.
One-third of that number are covered under California’s health insurance program (Medi-Cal) for low-income people.
The majority of the uninsured said the cost of insurance didn’t “fit into the family budget,” but
those who meet the income requirements of Medi-Cal are protected because the program is free or low-cost. The program has recently expanded to include all children, regardless of their immigration status.
For the rest, costs will likely remain a challenge as prescription drug prices continue to spike, and premiums in Covered California plans on average are expected to rise by about 13 percent
Foe more info on Medi-Cal, read the full story here.
- Frank Butler
