It's remarkable how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has made strides in reducing the number of uninsured Californians. The federal law allowed the state to offer health insurance through Covered California. Because of this, the number of Californians with no health insurance is at an all-time record low at 6.4 percent - down from 17 percent in 2013, the largest percentage drop for any state in the country. 

If you need health coverage, open enrollment is currently underway through January 25, 2025. Simply visit CoveredCA.com to find a plan that's right for you. Financial assistance is also available to help lower your premiums. (The website may direct eligible people to Medi-Cal, a different health insurance program for lower-income Californians. Enrollment is open all year.)

In addition, recipients of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) are now eligible to sign up for a health plan through Covered California. Applicants must select the "gained lawful presence" option from the list in the special enrollment period section when applying. The deadline for this group is December 31, 2024.

We should note that much of the progress we've made in insuring more Californians are at risk. The 2021 expansion of federal premium tax credits drove much of these gains, and they'll expire after 2025. Please consider writing or calling members of Congress next year to let them know financial help must continue. Nearly 90 percent of Covered California enrollees receive this assistance. Without it, people will drop their coverage and the impacts to individuals and our healthcare system would be devastating. A thriving health insurance market only works when everyone is in it.

PHIL TING
Assemblymember, 19th District