Millions of Californians still don't have health insurance. Undocumented people don't qualify for Obamacare benefits, and many others still find coverage too expensive. Leaburn Alexander, a 53-year-old night janitor at a hotel near San Francisco International Airport, is among the latter.
Project: Serving The (Still) Uninsured
Undocumented immigrants in California are expected to remain uninsured, regardless of the health care reform. Lawmakers seek solutions to close the gap.
Despite the Affordable Care Act, there are still millions of Californians without health insurance. Undocumented immigrants don’t qualify for Obamacare benefits, while many others find coverage still too expensive or face other obstacles in enrolling.
Up to a million undocumented immigrants in California are expected to remain uninsured after the ACA is fully implemented in 2019. One California community is trying to meet some of the unmet health needs by partnering with community health centers and hosting a physician’s assistant once a week.
Although safety net institutions continue to serve millions of uninsured, they are facing changes brought on by the health law. Since Affordable Care Act enrollment started last fall, Centro Medico clinic in Southern California is getting up to 10 new patients a day.