In Loving Memory – William (Bill) David Powers
William (Bill) David Powers passed away on November 25, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. Bill was a remarkable person, an activist at heart. He genuinely cared about people and acknowledged the value of each person he met. Even after he officially retired from an active and meaningful life advocating for affordable housing, Bill Powers continued […]
Fact Sheet: SB 56: Full Scope Medi-Cal for Undocumented Seniors
AB 4 Arambula (Health4All) – Scope Medi-Cal for Undocumented Adults
New CA Bill Helps Connect Unemployed Californians to Health Coverage
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented job loss and drops in income, and with that a loss in job-based health care coverage. Since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), most Californians without employer coverage can enroll in health insurance through Medi-Cal or Covered California, both which provide help in paying for coverage depending on income. Despite significant job loss as a result of the pandemic, both Medi-Cal and Covered California have experienced lower-than-expected enrollment, particularly among communities of color. Keeping Californians covered requires proactive efforts to ensure that they are aware of their options.
SB 644 (Leyva) Losing Your Job Doesn’t Have to Mean Losing Health Insurance: Connecting the Unemployed to Covered California & Medi-Cal
SB 644 (Leyva) Sponsor Fact Sheet
CA Bill Strengthens Surprise Medical Bill Protections After Win at the Federal Level
A new California bill introduced today, AB 510 by Assemblymember Wood, will strengthen California’s already historic protections against surprise medical bills. While California’s AB 72 (2016) already protected most Californians from receiving costly medical bills for out-of-network care unknowingly received at an in-network facility, Congress recently passed the No Surprises Act which fills in most of the gaps which remained. The No Surprises Act, which will go into effect January 1, 2022, will cover the over 6 million Californians with coverage regulated at the federal level who were not protected under AB 72. While the state law is stronger in many areas, the new federal law includes some reforms that are even more consumer friendly than state law. AB 510 will conform state law with federal law, particularly regarding a patients’ ability to consent to go out-of-network.