State, local and community leaders today joined Building Health Communities: Los Angeles Region and WE Connect to encourage and help Californians enroll in health care benefits on the one-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act.
"This is an important day, not just for Californians but for families across our nation," said Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom. "I can think of no better way of celebrating the one year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act than by helping families enroll in health care services they are eligible for. Through programs like WE Connect, I can assure you that we will continue to work diligently to inform and highlight enrollment opportunities available for families who need it most."
Since enacted on March 23, 2010, the Affordable Care Act has helped many California residents and employers directly benefit from the law through new coverage options and tax credits, and it is estimated that millions of Californians are currently eligible to receive no-cost and low-cost health care.
"Our mission is to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians," said Dr. Fernando Torres-Gil, Board Member of The California Endowment. "And that's why we were proud to support the federal health care law one year ago and why we are proud to support the implementation of it now."
In honor of the one-year anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act, WE Connect, Building Healthy Communities: South Los Angeles, St. John's Well Child and Family Clinic, and Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County partnered together for the first time to enroll eligible families into no-cost and low-cost health coverage programs including Medi-Cal and the state children's health insurance program Healthy Families. The fair is one of more than 20 enrollment events being held between March 15 and April 18.
"We are truly touched to have so many influential organizations dedicating time and resources into the health of our community," said Jim Mangia, Executive Director of St. John's Well Child and Family Center. "Not only are we able to offer numerous health care related services, but we are able to bring together respected local leaders to discuss the future of health care in their communities."
The possibility of repealing the Affordable Care Act that has helped so many California residents has many concerned, like Los Angeles County resident Cameron Rath.
Rath, 22 years old, has been solely supported by his mother since his father suffered a major heart attack and can no longer work. At age 14, he was diagnosed with a bone marrow illness and has undergone numerous procedures and surgeries. Had the Affordable Care Act not passed, Cameron and his family would have been in deep financial trouble.
"If the lifetime limit had been in effect, our family -- that was once middle class -- would be homeless and there's a possibility that I might not even be around right now," said Rath.
To view a schedule of all enrollments events occurring in Los Angeles County, click here.
For more information on how the Affordable Care Act is impacting California, click here.
About Building Healthy Communities
Building Healthy Communities is a 10-year, $1 billion plan of The California Endowment. In connection with staff-led, statewide policy initiatives, 14 communities, including South Los Angeles, Boyle Heights and Long Beach, are taking action to make where they live healthier. They're doing this by improving employment opportunities, education, housing, neighborhood safety, unhealthy environmental conditions, access to healthy food and more. The goal: to create places where children are healthy, safe and ready to learn. Ultimately, we're aiming at nothing less than a transformation in the way all of us think about and support health for all Californians. For more information, please visit www.calendow.org/healthycommunities/.
About St. John's Well Child and Family Center
St. John's clinic is a major nonprofit network of federally qualified health centers (FQHC) and school based clinics throughout downtown, South and Northeast Los Angeles. St. John's Well Child and Family Center provides medical, dental, mental health services, case management, health education and social support to more than 100,000 patient visits in south Los Angeles. These programs are designed to improve birth outcomes and reduce high-risk pregnancies and improve readiness for school among pre-school children and their families. It also provides child care and early childhood development services, parenting workshops, workforce readiness trainings and parent/child literacy projects. For more information, visit www.wellchild.org.
About WE Connect
WE Connect, a program founded in 2005 by former First Lady of California Maria Shriver and now run by The California Endowment, empowers families in underserved communities to lead healthier and more financially secure lives by connecting them to resources such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, California's Healthy Families Program and CalFresh. This nationwide campaign connects those eligible with the information and tools they need to access these valuable resources.The program has successfully resulted in helping millions of Californians through its community events, web-based tools, public-private partnerships, and collateral materials.Through a partnership with La Opinion, the nation's largest Spanish-speaking newspaper, WE Connect has developed four editions of a 24-page, full color, bi-lingual supplement that has been distributed to over 20 million Californians in need. For more information about the WE Connect program, please visit www.weconnect.net.
Contacts:
The California Endowment
Lizelda Lopez, 916-558-6773
llopez@calendow.org