California Sees Decline in Work-Based Health Coverage

By Jacqueline Palhegyi

Published on July 12, 2007

The study, conducted by UCLA’s Center for Health Policy Research, found that the number of Californians insured through their employers dropped from 56.4 percent in 2001 to 54.3 percent in 2005. Of all uninsured, employed residents, 80 percent were either ineligible to receive health benefits or were working for employers who did not offer coverage. The remaining 20 percent indicated high costs as their primary reason for not enrolling in their employer's health care plan.

However, some improvement has been made in the overall number of insured Californians. The study showed a 1.9 percent decline in the number of Californians without insurance between 2001 and 2005. This is attributed to greater enrollment in California’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, and insurance programs based out of individual counties.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who visited UCLA for the report’s release, said the study's findings point up the need for comprehensive health care reform. Schwarzenegger cited the tremendous costs that today’s employers and workers face, and emphasized the need for widespread access to affordable, reliable healthcare.

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