Covered California’s Executive Director Jessica Altman and other health leaders from across the country gathered at the White House this month to celebrate the 13th anniversary of the enactment of the Affordable Care Act. The landmark law, which has helped provide quality health care coverage for more than 40 million Americans, represents the most significant improvement to the nation’s health care system since the passage of Medicaid and Medicare more than five decades ago.
“All Americans deserve the peace of mind that if an illness strikes or an accident occurs you can get the care you need,” President Joe Biden said at the anniversary observance. “The Affordable Care Act has been law for 13 years; it has developed deep roots in this country and become a critical part of providing health care and saving lives.”
California is among the states that have fully embraced and supported the landmark law by establishing Covered California and expanding the state’s Medi-Cal Program. Taken together, those programs have helped reduce the state’s uninsured rate from 17.2 percent in 2013 to a record-low 7.0 percent in 2021, the largest reduction of any state in the nation.
Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, 5.4 million people have received quality health insurance through Covered California.
Right now, 1.74 million Californians are enrolled for the 2023 coverage year, and 330,000 of those people are also signed up for a supplemental dental insurance plan. An additional 80,000 people are enrolled in Covered California for Small Business.
Recently, health insurance through Covered California and other Affordable Care Act marketplaces is more affordable than ever thanks to the recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. The law increased and expanded the amount of financial help available to those needing coverage. As a result, two out of every three Californians can get a comprehensive health insurance plan through Covered California for $10 or less per month.
“While we are celebrating today, we know that there are more people out there who need health care, and it is never too late to check out your options on CoveredCA.com,” Altman said. “Many people can get name-brand coverage for less than the price of a movie ticket, thanks to the increased and expanded financial help that is available.”
Those interested in learning more about their coverage options can visit www.CoveredCA.com; get free and confidential in-person assistance, in a variety of languages, from a certified enroller; have a certified enroller call them and help them for free; call Covered California at (800) 300-1506.
