Thirteen CA proposals announced today to get California to a more universal, accessible, and equitable health system, as soon as possible SACRAMENTO, CA – Today health care advocates gathered with legislative champions at the State Capitol to highlight important health reform bills in the 2024 legislative session. The thirteen bills and budget items featured as […]
CA State Assembly Passes Patient Protection to Ensure Accurate Plan Provider Directories
AB 236 (Holden), which seeks to improve the accuracy of health plan provider directories for consumers, now heads to the California Senate. ***Impacted consumer stories available upon request*** SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, the California State Assembly passed AB 236 by Assemblymember Chris Holden, which will ensure accurate health plan provider directories, and help consumers […]
AB 4 (Arambula) Accessing Coverage in Covered California
Undocumented Californians are explicitly and unjustly excluded from accessing and purchasing health care coverage plans through Covered California, the state’s marketplace established under the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA). Assembly Bill 4 (Arambula), the #Health4All Covered California campaign, would address this exclusion by taking the first step toward allowing undocumented Californians to buy health plans […]
AB 236 (Holden) Ensuring Accurate Health Plan Provider Directories
BREAKING: #AB236 (@chrisholdennews) passed out of the #CAStateAssembly with 46 votes, and now it’s headed to the #CAStateSenate! 🎉 https://t.co/WL7lUMLkIc — Health Access CA (@healthaccess) January 30, 2024 Background Every health plan in California is required to maintain an updated list of in-network health care providers for their enrollees. These directories list providers such […]
2023 in Review
In 2023, Health Access advocated to provide real relief and remove financial barriers to California health consumers—successfully helping increase access to and/or reduce the cost of coverage, care, prescription drugs, and even ground ambulance services. We supported major investments in Medi-Cal to improve access and continue the commitment to expand coverage to all those who […]
Californians Share Their Surprise Ambulance Bill Stories
In a medical emergency, you may be thinking a lot of things – am I ok? Do I need help? Can I get to a hospital? The things you should not be thinking are “can I afford the ambulance ride I need?” or “is this ambulance provider in my network?” Yet many Californians have received […]
Statement on Biden Administration’s Expansion of Health Care Access to DACA Recipients
SACRAMENTO, CA – Below is a statement from Health Access California, the statewide health care consumer advocacy coalition, in response to President Biden’s announcement today to designate all DACA recipients as “lawfully present”, therefore giving them full access to health care coverage through Medicaid and ACA health insurance marketplaces like Covered California. California is home […]
Statement on ACA Ruling Putting at Risk Preventative Services for Millions of Californians
SACRAMENTO, CA – Below is a statement from Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California, in response to today’s ruling by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor striking down a major provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that requires no cost coverage of lifesaving preventive health care services, including: breast cancer screenings, colorectal and […]