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 4 (Arambula) Acceso a la cobertura médica con Covered California
Los californianos indocumentados están explícita e injustamente excluidos del acceso y la compra de planes de cobertura de salud a través de Covered California, el mercado del estado establecido bajo la Ley Federal de Cuidado de Salud Asequible (ACA). El proyecto de ley de la Asamblea 4 (Arambula) abordaría esta exclusión dando el primer paso […]
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 […]
Premiums Remain Low and New Reductions in Deductibles and Co-pays
Today marks the start of the 11th open enrollment period of Covered California and the most affordable year ever for enrollees, with new, significant state and federal financial assistance available. The Inflation Reduction Act continues major premium assistance for the nearly 2 million Californians in Covered California through 2025. Funding included in this year’s state […]
Bill Signed by Governor Newsom to Permanently Cap Prescription Drug Costs
AB 948 (Berman) keeps expensive prescription drugs more affordable for Californians with chronic illnesses SACRAMENTO, CA – Over the weekend, California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 948 by Assemblymember Berman to make permanent the existing $250 co-pay cap for prescription drugs, ensuring consumers can count on their monthly prescription drug costs staying consistent, even […]
CA Governor Gavin Newsom Signs Bill to End Surprise Ambulance Billing for Californians
One of the most impactful health consumer bills this year, AB 716 (Boerner) will prevent Californians from getting $1,000 plus surprise ambulance bills, and take consumers out of the middle of ambulance billing disputes ***Impacted consumer stories available upon request*** SACRAMENTO, CA – Today California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 716 by Assemblymember Tasha […]
Health Access Joins New National Coalition: Consumers for Fair Hospital Pricing
Health Access California is proud to be a part of a new national coalition of health consumer advocates that are taking on skyrocketing hospital costs as a main driver of our growingly unaffordable health system. Consumers for Fair Hospital Pricing is about standing up to the big hospitals that have become big business, and fighting […]
State Senate Passes AB 716 to End Surprise Ambulance Billing for Californians
One of the most impactful health consumer bills currently before the CA state legislature, AB 716 (Boerner) takes Californians out of the middle of ambulance billing disputes ***Impacted consumer stories available upon request*** SACRAMENTO, CA – Yesterday with unanimous bipartisan support, California’s State Senate passed AB 716 by Assemblymember Tasha Boerner to end a major […]
We’re Close to Stopping Surprise Ambulance Bills!
We’ve been fighting all year, and now our effort to stop surprise ambulance bills is close to the finish line. We need your help right now to get it done. Use our easy tool to tell your State Senator to vote YES to stop surprise ambulance bills! At this crucial moment, we need you to […]