Congressional actions over the last several years have helped lower health care prices for consumers across the state. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), passed in 2022, extended and expanded financial help for health care premiums for those enrolled in Covered California. This assistance was originally passed as a part of the American Rescue Plan, the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The IRA also implemented prescription drug price negotiation and insulin cost caps for Medicare. All of this is built upon the strong foundation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), passed in 2010.
The expanded health care premium subsidies in the IRA have led to the most affordable health care plan options ever for those enrolled in Covered California, which in turn has led to the highest enrollment ever in the exchange. Additionally, as more people become eligible for Medicare, they will see the benefits of lower prescription drug prices and insulin costs.
The chart below details Covered California and Medicare enrollment by California congressional district with the best and most recent available estimates, identifying the number of people in each district that are impacted by these policies, and what they stand to lose if they are not made permanent. Read our latest press release for more information.
Source: “Inflation Reduction Act of 2022”, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services