The State’s Finance Department sent a letter to Legislature yesterday alerting them of an additional $3.4 billion appropriation for Medi-Cal for this fiscal year Sacramento, CA – For more than a decade, the Health4All coalition, led by Health Access California and the California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC), has been working closely with the state Legislature […]
Health and Immigrant Rights Advocates Respond to Medi-Cal Budget Shortfall
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) would address this exclusion by taking the first step toward allowing undocumented Californians to buy health plans through Covered California. Specifically, AB […]
House Republicans Move Forward Plan to Cut Health Care for Millions of Californians
All nine California House Republicans voted yes on the resolution that seeks to cut $880 billion from Medicaid, impacting millions of their constituents SACRAMENTO, CA – Health Access California, the statewide health care consumer advocacy coalition, released the following statement following tonight’s vote by Congress to move forward a budget resolution that seeks to cut […]
Know Your Rights–Health Care Edition
No one should have to choose between their health and their safety. But with recent reports of ICE raids, many in our communities are afraid to seek the care they need. Let’s be clear: you still have the right to access health care—and knowing your rights is the first step in protecting yourself and your […]
Over 200 CA Organizations Ask Congress to Protect Health Care Coverage
RE: Protect & Strengthen Health Care Coverage and Access in the 119th Congress Dear Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Thune, Minority Leader Jeffries, and Minority Leader Schumer: We, the undersigned organizations, comprise a diverse coalition of community-based, faith-based, labor, county, and health care organizations across California. Medicaid, Medi-Cal in California, is a lifeline for coverage and […]
LGBTQ and Health Advocates Condemn Federal Executive Order to Restrict Gender-Affirming Care for Trans Youth
If enacted, President Trump’s extreme Executive Order could directly harm the health of tens of thousands of trans youth under the age of 19 in California SACRAMENTO, CA – Health Access and the CA LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network released the following statements following the January 28, 2025 Executive Order issued by President Trump […]
Federal Impacts: What’s at Risk for CA’s Statewide Safety Net (Data by Congressional District)
In 2025, Congressional Republicans are expected to focus their legislative efforts on extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts, giving more and bigger handouts to billionaires and corporations. To pay for these tax cuts, Congress has discussed major cuts or rollbacks to federal programs, including Medicare, Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) and Affordable Care Act marketplaces like […]
Federal Reconciliation: What’s at Risk for Medi-Cal and Covered CA
Congressional Republican efforts in early 2025 are expected to focus on extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts, giving more and bigger handouts to billionaires and corporations. To pay for these tax cuts, Congress has proposed major cuts to federal programs, including Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) and Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces like Covered California. Republicans […]
Legislation Introduced to Ensure Accurate Health Plan Provider Directories
As health advocates continue to hear stories of consumers who can’t find care in their network, AB 280 (Aguiar-Curry) would finally hold health plans accountable to keep their provider directories up to date SACRAMENTO, CA – As the problem of inaccurate health plan provider directories persists in California, Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry took on the cause […]
AB 280 (Aguiar-Curry) Ensuring Accurate Health Plan Provider Directories
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 as doctors, mental health professionals, hospitals, labs, imaging centers, and more that are in the health plan’s network. When consumers go to search for a new doctor or mental […]
Health Advocates Release New Factsheets on What’s at Risk for Medi-Cal & Covered California
Under current Congressional Republican proposals, major cuts could be looming for Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) and ACA exchanges like Covered California. New factsheets detail statewide impacts of cuts to Medi-Cal and Covered California, and chart the number of people in each of California’s 53 congressional districts that could be affected by these cuts. CA health […]
Health Care Access & Affordability Protected in 2025-2026 CA State Budget Proposal
The 2025-2026 state budget released Friday by Governor Gavin Newsom’s office maintains key commitments in health care, including keeping Medi-Cal available for all income-eligible Californians regardless of age or immigration status, and continuing efforts to address the rising cost of care and prescription drugs. However, federal health care cuts loom large for millions of Californians […]
2024 Year in Review
2024 was a year in flux for both health reform and Health Access. Significant progress was made on lowering health care costs and making care more affordable for millions of Californians. At the same time, we also weathered the departure of our 22-year Executive Director and a national election with major health care implications. Our […]
2024 Health Care Consumer Champions Revealed in Health Access Legislative Scorecard
Health Access 2024 Legislative Scorecard analyzes how California legislators voted on bills that improve consumer protections and remove financial barriers to accessing health care for millions of California health consumers. With the addition of some contentious health care bills scored this year, less than half (45%) of State Senators and Assemblymembers scored 100%, earning the […]
2024 Legislative Scorecard
Jump to Data Background For over 35 years, Health Access California, the statewide health care consumer advocacy coalition, has served as the leading voice on behalf of patients and the public on critical health policy issues at the State Capitol. We also advocate for health care consumers in federal policy discussions and analyze impacts. As […]
New Factsheet on California’s Resistance to Trump’s Sabotage of Our Health Care System
Health Access California releases list of actions California has taken to protect consumer’s and our state’s individual market from harmful federal actions But even with this robust framework, much remains at risk if federal funding is cut or otherwise withheld SACRAMENTO, CA – Health Access California, the statewide health care consumer advocacy coalition, today released […]
California’s Resistance to Trump’s Sabotage of our Health Care
In the last decade, Californians rallied together to oppose all efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and cut and cap Medicaid. In 2017, when the Congressional repeal efforts stalled, then-President Trump repeatedly said he wanted to let the ACA “explode.” Threats to many of the key components of the ACA continued […]
Health Care Advocates Vow a Renewed Fight for Health Care in CA
SACRAMENTO, CA – Amanda McAllister-Wallner, interim executive director of Health Access California, the statewide health care advocacy coalition, issued this statement following the election of Donald Trump as President: “Make no mistake – our health care is in the crosshairs once again. The difference now is that the Affordable Care and the Inflation Reduction Act […]
Federal Action: What’s at Stake for Californians by Region
From the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), federal action has fundamentally changed our health care system, expanding coverage and lowering costs for millions of Californians. But each region of our large state is impacted differently. Health Access has new reports that focus in on the health care impacts of these […]
Federal Action: What’s at Stake for Health in the Central Valley
Congressional actions over the last several years have helped lower health care prices for consumers in the Central Valley(i) and across the state. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) extended and expanded financial help for health care premiums for those enrolled in Covered California. This assistance was originally passed in the American Rescue Plan, the federal […]
Page 1 of 35