healthinsurance.org/California
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California Health Insurance
How healthy is living
in California?
California is ranked 22nd in the United Health Foundation's 2012 comparison of health status across the 50 states.
The good news:
- California has a low infant mortality rate and a low percentage of babies born weighing less than 5½ pounds at birth.
- The rates of smoking, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle in California are all relatively low.
The bad news:
- The percentage of Californian children in poverty is 24 percent.
- Infectious disease is up dramatically, from 8.5 to 17.0 cases per 100,000 people.
- About 20 percent of Californians lack health insurance.
California's best and worst category rankings:
- Smoking – 2nd
- Sedentary Lifestyle – 3rd
- Occupational Fatalities – 3rd
- Infant Mortality – 3rd
- Lack of Health Insurance – 44th
- Infectious Disease – 46th
- Air Pollution – 50th
more details
See the United Health Foundation's latest findings on California.- Trust for America's Health ia another source for key California health quality findings. In addition, 2010's federal health reform, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), included the creation of a prevention fund to provide more than $16 billion over the next 10 years to invest in effective, proven prevention efforts, like childhood obesity prevention and tobacco cessation, and the site has a report on how it impacts California here.
get local health results
State snapshot too large? Get county-by-county health rankings for California, from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Population Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin.
Does California have a health insurance high risk pool?
California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program
Toll-free 1-800-289-6574 or (916) 324-4695
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Starting in 2010, California started offering health care insurance coverage to residents through the federally established temporary high-risk pool program. To find out more about California's participation, click here.
Risk pools are state-sponsored programs to help people with a history of medical problems in their family to purchase coverage. These pools are for people who can afford to buy health insurance, but are not able to get underwritten in the private market because of a pre-existing health condition. These programs can vary significantly from state to state in price, benefits and number of people served. Often insurance companies doing business in the state are required to contribute to the pool to keep it in the black. In the best cases, they allow people to be able to switch jobs or become self-employed without the fear of losing their health insurance coverage. Read more about risk pools here.
Non-profit sources of health insurance information for California
- The Foundation for Health Coverage Education's mission is to provide simplified public and private health insurance
eligibility information in order to help more people access coverage.
Here is its guide on how to find health insurance in California.
- The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is tracking the progress of health insurance reform in each state. Its page for California can be found here.
- The National Committee for Quality Assurance is a private, non-profit organization that, among other things, provides health care plan report cards for consumers. Search for California health insurance plan report cards.
California state government health insurance resources
California Health Care Reform — How the state government will implement provisions of the Affordable Care Act.
California State Department of Insurance — The California State Department of Insurance deals with issues of individual health insurance in California, as well as other types of insurance.
Consumer Information from the California State Department of Insurance — Health insurance topics and information geared specially for consumers.
Office of Multicultural Health, California State Department of Health Services — The state agency which tries to reduce inequality in health status, information and resources on multicultural health.
Medicare information from California State Department of Aging — State government resources for Californians needing help with Medicare and other government health insurance programs on federal, state and local levels.
California Department of Health Care Services — Responsible for health care services for Californians.
California reform, single-payer health care information
California One Care — California OneCare is an online organizing network that exists to activate and empower people into a grassroots and netroots movement for universal health care in California.
California Nurses Association — guaranteedhealthcare.org — GuaranteedHealthcare.org is a project of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, and patients and community groups around the country.
Single Payer Now — Volunteers educating voters since 1994 to talk with their friends, co-workers, and neighbors about health care minus the insurance companies.
Physicians for a National Health Plan California — The largest state chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP). We are physicians, medical students, health professionals and advocates who believe that access to high-quality health care is a right and should be provided equitably as a public service rather than bought and sold as a commodity. Read the rest of this entry [...]
Health Care for All–California — HCA is a nonprofit grassroots organization working for high quality, universal, single-payer health care.
California HealthCare Foundation — The foundation is an independent philanthropy committed to improving California’s health care delivery and financing systems and to ensure that all Californians have access to affordable, quality health care.
Health Access California — Health Access California is a non-profit organization dedicated to achieving quality, affordable health care for all Californians. For more than 15 years, Health Access has played a significant role in leading the movement for health care reform in California. Health Access has promoted universal health care proposals and advocated for specific incremental reforms that promise [...]
State-specfic information on the Physicans National Health Program in California.
The Affordable Care Act: Immediate Benefits for California -- How the Affordable Health Care act will improve the lives of people living in California.
Why health care reform is important to California -- This 2009 document by the AARP provides a compelling case f for health reform in California.
The Benefits of Health Reform In California -- The Democratic Policy Committee of the United States Senate looks at benefits of health reform for the citizens of California.
Other helpful California health and medical care links
California Association of Health Plans — The Association promotes affordable health care for California consumers through legislative advocacy, informational communications and collaboration with other organizations.
California mental health resource guide, offered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Government.
The National Coalition on Health Care's information for California -- America's oldest, most diverse, and broadest based group working to achieve comprehensive health system reform.
How did California officials vote on health reform?
H.R.2: Repealing the Health Care Bill
#14HOUSE|SENATE
1/19/2011--Passed House amended. Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act - Repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, effective as of its enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by such Act. Repeals the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education and Reconciliation Act of 2010, effective as of the Act's enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by the Act's health care provisions. [more]
Yes (19)
Pick
No (34)
Health insurance exchange
California's exchange
Find out what your state's health insurance exchange will look like.
California health insurance premium rebates
$74 million to 1,877,186 families
Insurance companies were forced to return an average of $65 per family in 2012.
Most-read articles
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CA health insurance news
Covered California getting the word out
03/14/2013 2:03 PM
California Health Report — The state health insurance exchange is offering $46 million in grant money to let people know they can buy subsidized health insurance on the state’s exchange beginning in October.
Health care students plan rally for single-payer health care
02/08/2013 6:02 PM
Hundreds of health professional students in white coats hope to draw attention to the more egregious practices of the health insurance industry via a rally on the steps of the State Capitol.
Insurers eager to compete on health insurance exchange
10/31/2012 4:10 PM
Los Angeles Times — Thirty-three health plans want to be part of California Covered — California’s recently rebranded health insurance exchange. Peter Lee, executive director of the California exchange, said the board will pick five or six plans for each region of the state.
Read more California health insurance news
CA health insurance companies
Health insurance companies in California.
Get health insurance quotes for these companies.
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AARP Insured By Aetna Aetna Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of CA |
Celtic Ins. Co. Health Net Kaiser Permanente of CA PacifiCare |
NOTE: Kaiser Permanente of CA is a non-profit company.
Doctor directory for California
Find licensed physicians near you. Each state is home to organizations that can help you find and research physicians, offering online information about a physician's license, schooling, practice information and more.
California Licensee SearchMedical Board of California Other California Public Resources
California Medical Association
Health insurance for individuals CA
Resources for those individuals seeking health care insurance in California. If you are looking for California Medicare, visit our site for health insurance over 65.
The cost of repealing Obamacare
How California would fare
California could lose if important protections are undone.
How your member of Congress voted
healthreformvotes.org
Your members of the California Congressional delegation voted on health care reform.