SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Millions of Californians are facing the coronavirus pandemic without health insurance, either because they've lost a job or weren't covered to begin with. So today, a nonprofit consumer health advocacy coalition is offering a webinar on how to get covered.
Rachel Linn Gish, director of communications for Health Access California, says the state has expanded subsidies for the Covered California marketplace considerably - so, many people may not realize that they're now eligible for a break on their insurance premiums.
"California is the first state to take action to expand subsidies in Covered California to cover middle-income Californians that make up to $75,000 a year, or up to $150,000 a year for a family of four," says Linn Gish.
Medi-Cal takes applications year-round, and Covered California has extended the open enrollment deadline through June 30.
The webinar begins at 1:15 p.m. and will be recorded. The link - and later, the recording - will be available online, at 'health-access.org.'
Linn Gish says one topic of the webinar is the HEROES Act, a bill that just passed the U.S. House. The legislation would provide federal funds to help states avoid massive cuts in health and human services.
"We need the Senate to pass it as well, so that that state aid can come to California so we can prevent the worst of these cuts," says Linn Gish.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has already proposed huge cuts to a range of important programs, all in order to plug a $54 billion hole in the state budget that was caused by the COVID-19 shutdown.
