Quality, Affordable Health Care for ALL Californians
Affordability of coverage and care remains a challenge for too many Californians. Some remain uninsured because coverage is unaffordable or the premium they can afford does not facilitate access to care. Others struggle to pay for care while living in some of the highest cost regions in the country. Estimates of California’s remaining uninsured could be as high as 3 million—even after several years of enrollment increases. While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provided significant help to millions of consumers, one major population was left out: undocumented immigrants.
The Health4All Campaign began in 2013 when immigrant rights activists, health care advocates, and community members came together to call for expanding health care to all Californians, regardless of immigration status. Undocumented immigrants are unfairly excluded from financial help for coverage through the ACA, and even from using a state marketplace like Covered California to purchase health coverage using their own money. And while many of the most populous California counties serve the undocumented through their safety-net, too many counties still do not. Yet undocumented Californians are a key part of our community and economy and should be included in our health system as well.
In 2016, Health4All Kids became a reality. Governor Brown allocated funds in the 2015 – 2016 budget to expand Medi-Cal to all children, regardless of immigration status. In 2019, Governor Brown allocated funds in the 2015-16 state budget to expand Medi-Cal to all children, regardless of immigration status. In 2019, Governor Newsom and the state legislature expanded this access to everyone up to the age of 26. Activists and advocates are prioritizing the expansion of seniors over the age of 65 and continue to champion the cause of Health4All, and expand Medi-Cal to all adults, regardless of their immigration status so families can access care together.
#Health4All
#Health4Seniors
- FACTSHEET: Medicaid for the Undocumented
- FACTSHEET: SB 56 (Durazo) Full-Scope Medi-Cal for Undocumented Seniors
- UPDATED- Letter to Governor Newsom re: Full-Scope Medi-Cal for Low-Income Undocumented Elders (Ages 65+) (April 8, 2020)
Learn More
- Department of Health Care Services Medi-Cal Enrollment Information
- California Immigrant Policy Center
- The California Endowment
- Health For All – Sacramento Health Partners Program
- More information on how to enroll if you live in Sacramento County
Health Access Analysis & Advocacy
- Blog Post: California Assembly Prioritizes $1 Billion in New Health Care Investments to Improve Access and Affordability (May 2018)
- Blog Post: Rescinding DACA is a Health Care Catastrophe for California (September 2017)
- Blog Post: #CoveredCA Releases Draft of 1332 Waiver to Open Itself to All Californians, Regardless of Immigration Status (August 2016)
- Blog Post: SB 10 Signed! A Step Closer to #Health4All! (June, 2016)
- Blog Post: Hundreds Gather at Capitol to Support #Health4All (May 2016)
- SB 10 (Lara) #Health4All: Health Access/California Immigrant Policy Center fact sheet (March 2016)
- Blog Post: The ACA Turns 6: Reflections from California for the 2016 Presidential Election Year (March 2016)
- Section 1332 of ACA: Options and Opportunities for CA (February 2016)
- Map of Access to Care for Undocumented by County (October 2015)
- SB4 #Health4All: Health Access and California Immigrant Policy Center fact sheet (May 2015)
- Next Steps in Health Reform: From Obamacare to Health4All and Beyond presentation (April 2015)
- The ACA and California: What’s New, What’s Next, What’s Left To Do? presentation (January 2015)
- Mission Advanced but not Accomplished: Four Years of Health Reform in CA (May 2014)
- Reorienting Safety Net for Remaining Uninsured survey of county indigent care after the ACA (March 2015)
- Continuing California’s Commitment to the Remaining Uninsured concept paper (May 2013)
- A Joint Statement on Extending LIHPs to Provide a Medical Home for the Remaining Uninsured (May 2013)