By Tam Nguyen, Nguoi Viet
LOS ANGELES ― The state has made progress in encouraging the uninsured to sign up for health insurance, but it isn’t enough, according to a Southern California state senator and an area insurance expert.
Dr. John Connolly gives the facts about health-care enrollment. Photo by Tam Nguyen/Nguoi Viet.
Last year, 1.4 million people enrolled in Covered California, the state’s answer to the federal Affordable Care Act, according to Dr. John Connolly, associate director of the Insure the Uninsured Project. An additional 2.7 million people were eligible for Medi-Cal, however only 400,000 are registered, he said.
Connolly said a study by the University of California and UCLA estimated there will be 3.4 million uninsured people by 2019, and between 1.35 million and 1.5 million will be undocumented.
To combat that, State Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) said he would introduce the Health For All Act. The bill would expand health coverage to individuals who are currently excluded from Medi-Cal if individuals meet income requirements or offer an exchange program where they could purchase private health insurance.
State Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) addresses the media about reintroducing the Health For All Act. Photo by Tam Nguyen/Nguoi Viet.
“Right now the Affordable Care Act specifically excludes undocumented immigrants from health-care coverage provided through the exchange program, such as Covered California, and this bill will change how people in California can get health care,” he said.
According to Sen. Lara, 1 million undocumented Californians are ineligible for coverage through the Affordable Care Act. With the Health For All Act, they would be eligible for coverage through Medi-Cal or Covered California.
Sen. Lara said he is confident that the bill will make it to a vote in Sacramento.
“It is the right thing to do to let everyone have health care,” he said. “Hopefully this state will lead by example so other states can adopt this bill as well and the whole country will have health coverage.”
