Impact
Community Health Initiative (CHI) has assisted over 28,000 individuals since 2005. We currently assist over 6,000 individuals with their health insurance needs each year! We screen over 22,000 children and families annually through schools and other outreach events, personal visits, and phone consultations. Children who have health insurance miss fewer school days, perform better in school, and are healthier. Parents of insured children miss fewer work days. Healthy kids create a healthy community! (Data collected in 2023)
The High Cost of Not Having Insurance
- The consequences of not having health insurance can result in severe financial implications. For example, when seeking care, whether planned or unplanned, uninsured Californians can face unaffordable medical bills, medical debt, have medical bills sent to a collection agency or exhaust savings. Furthermore, uninsured Californians are less likely to access care, resulting in poor health, low quality of life, and even premature mortality.
- California penalizes those without healthcare coverage with penalties applied by the California Franchise Tax Board. For example, when the 2022 California personal tax returns are filed in 2023, the penalty for not having coverage the entire year will be at least $850 per adult and $425 per dependent child under 18 in the household.
