• UCLA Health
  • myUCLAhealth
  • School of Medicine
U Magazine

U Magazine

U Magazine
  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Centennial Campaign for UCLA Issue
  • Browse U Magazine
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • UCLA Health
  • myUCLAhealth
  • School of Medicine

U Magazine

Browse U Magazine

  1. Home
  2. Browse U Magazine
Share this
The Cutting Edge

Affordability, Eligibility Biggest Barriers for Californians without Insurance

  Affordability, Eligibility Biggest Barriers for Californians without Insurance
 

High cost is the main reason those eligible for health insurance in California didn’t enroll in 2014. Image: Getty

Two-thirds of Californians who didn’t have health insurance in 2014 were eligible for coverage, but many did not enroll because they said it was too costly, according to a new study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education.

Researchers found that the other one-third of uninsured Californians were ineligible for coverage under the Affordable Care Act due to their immigration status. Using data from the California Health Interview Survey, or CHIS, the study reports that California residents without health insurance fall into four groups:

• Undocumented residents: 32 percent. Residents who do not qualify for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, being predominantly low-income and Latino and having limited English-language proficiency.

• Those eligible for Medi-Cal: 28 percent. Adult citizens and lawfully present immigrants with incomes at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level and children at 266 percent of the poverty level.

• Those eligible to buy coverage on the state health exchange, Covered California, with a federal subsidy to help offset costs: 31 percent. Citizens and lawfully present immigrants with incomes from 139 percent to 400 percent of the poverty level.

• Those eligible to buy health coverage on Covered California but not eligible for federal subsidy: 9 percent. Citizens and lawfully present immigrants with incomes above 400 percent of the poverty level, which disqualified them from federal subsidies.

Among reasons for not having insurance, the largest percentage of citizens and lawfully present immigrants (46 percent) said cost was the main reason.

“We’re a relatively high cost-of-living state,” says Miranda Dietz, a researcher at UC Berkeley and the lead author of the study. “It’s no wonder some Californians, who may be unaware they qualify for health subsidies and other programs, still find the cost of health insurance out of reach. For people who are already stretched paying their rent, filling the car to get to work and feeding the kids, figuring out how to come up with more money for healthcare on top of that is a lot to handle.”

California also has more than 1-million undocumented, uninsured residents who do not benefit from the Affordable Care Act because of their immigration status. “Hundreds of thousands of men, women and children, not to mention the workers who power California’s economy, are one health emergency away from potential financial ruin because they lack insurance,” says Nadereh Pourat, PhD, director of research for the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. “From an economic perspective, it’s bad business to rely on workers and then not offer them equal-health protection. And from a humanitarian perspective, it’s just wrong.”

“Affordability and Eligibility Barriers Remain for California’s Uninsured,” UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education, March 31, 2016


Previous
Cutting-edge Model of Heart Helps Scientists Study New Therapies
Next
Genetic Factors Control Regenerative Properties of Blood-forming Stem Cells


YOU ARE VIEWING

Spring 2017

Spring 2017
E-Brochure
Printable PDF
IN THIS ISSUE
  • Forward Thinking
  • Experimental Implant Returns Hand Movement to Quadriplegic
  • An Alternative Theory of Tumor Metastasis
  • Different Types of Autism-spectrum Disorders Share Abnormal Pattern of Brain Cells
  • Combating the Cellular Damage of Aging
  • Researchers Uncover How to Prevent Calcification of Heart Tissue
  • Giving a Jump-start to the Brain
  • UCLA Researchers Develop Open-source Program for Analyzing Thyroid Health
  • Cutting-edge Model of Heart Helps Scientists Study New Therapies
  • Affordability, Eligibility Biggest Barriers for Californians without Insurance
  • Genetic Factors Control Regenerative Properties of Blood-forming Stem Cells
  • Brain-wave Measurements Predict Response to Antidepressants
  • CARE for the HIV Community
  • Inspired to Serve
  • Gut Feeling
  • On Track
  • First Responders
  • Awards & Honors
  • In Memoriam
  • Reflections: Shirah Vollmer, MD ’86 (RES ’90, FEL ’91)
  • The Power of Faith in Healing
  • Honoring the Philanthropy of the Manoukians
  • UCLA Neurology Celebrates the Silton Family’s Philanthropy and the Inaugural Silton Chair Holder
  • Cardiovascular Leadership Sponsors Symposium, Educates the Community
  • Honoring Hope and Courage
  • Party on the Pier Benefits Children
  • UCLA Cancer Researcher Recognized for Exceptional Advancements
  • UCLA Health System Board Meeting Delves into Precision Health
  • Chairs of Distinction: UCLA Neurologists Named as Wilstein Chairs
  • UCLA Launches UCLA National Clinician Scholars Program
  • Celebrating UCLA’s Leaders of Tomorrow Scholars
  • Class of ’76 Alumni Celebrate 40th Reunion, Raise Money for Medical Scholarships
  • Running for Research
  • Switzer Prize Will Recognize Excellence in Research
  • High School Seniors Honor Loved Ones with Cakes for Cancer
  • Gifts
  • In Memoriam
  • A Memorable Healer and a Challenging Case
Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest
UCLA Health hospitals ranked best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report
  • UCLA Health
  • Find a Doctor
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Nursing
  • UCLA Campus
  • Directory
  • Newsroom
  • Subscribe
  • Patient Stories
  • Giving
  • Careers
  • Volunteer
  • International Services
  • Privacy Practices
  • Nondiscrimination
  • Billing
  • Health Plans
  • Emergency
  • Report Broken Links
  • Terms of Use
  • 1-310-825-2631
  • Maps & Directions
  • Contact Us
  • Your Feedback
  • Report Misconduct
  • Get Social
  • Sitemap
Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest

Sign in to myUCLAhealth