Impact
We have assisted over 28,000 individuals since 2005. Each year we assist over 4,000 individuals enroll and retain health insurance plans. Our bicultural, bilingual staff provides outreach to the 27,000 individuals in our database and and through schools, cultural events, health fairs, and co-location at county offices and other non-profits and agencies.
Our Clients
Helena
Helena had applied to Medi-Cal on her own, only to find out months later that she was not eligible. Unsure of what to do, she called CHI for help. One of our Health Access Specialists (HAS) made an appointment with her and during the screening process not only did our HAS discover that Helena had initially been denied due to being over the income limit, but that she had also received a breast cancer diagnosis and required immediate attention. After carefully reviewing her case, our HAS found that Helena’s income had decreased since her initial application and she was now eligible for Medi-Cal. Because of her breast cancer, her case was expedited. Two weeks later after filing her application, it was approved and Helena was able to get the help she so greatly needed.
Julio
Julio came to us seeking assistance with adding him and his wife to their child’s Covered California plan after he lost his employer-based insurance. In the meantime, he had been diagnosed with urinary retention, a disabling condition that left him unable to seek other employment or work, which then made his family eligible for for Medi-Cal, but with the typical processing time, it could have been weeks before their coverage was approved. With upcoming doctor’s appointments and critically needed medications, waiting wasn’t an option. We quickly submitted his income details to Medi-Cal. Given the urgency of Julio’s medical needs, we were able to work with Eligibility Specialist at Napa County to expedite his case, and he was able to get Medi-Cal in less than three days.
Joan
When Joan’s daughter suffered a traumatic fall and broke her wrist, Joan rushed her to the local Emergency Department. Having recently lost her job and her employer-provided health insurance, Joan had to apply for emergency Medi-Cal assistance. It would cover their urgent care needs, but Joan’s daughter needed ongoing care, which required full healthcare coverage. Joan was referred to CHI and our Health Access Specialist was able to assist Joan with applying for coverage for her whole family, and helped expedite her application.
Bob and Carol
When Bob, a veteran, developed Parkinson’s disease, he and his wife, Carol, a retired teacher, faced significant challenges managing the cost of his care. Although their combined retirement income was enough to live comfortably when they were in the same home, it wasn’t enough to pay a care facility’s $5,000 monthly fees when Bob required full-time medical assistance.
Although Bob applied for a space at the Veterans’ Home, he didn’t qualify. Nor did the couple qualify for in-home supportive services. They were also over the income limit for Medi-Cal, which meant they would need to pay the full cost of the care facility’s fee. Without children or other family to support them, the couple felt isolated and overwhelmed.
When Bob and Carol turned to CHI for help, we found the Working Disabled Program through multiple interactions with County staff. Combined with the Spousal Impoverishment Program, which allows couples to protect a portion of their combined resources, which particularly benefits the individual who remains in the community, so  only Bob would have to report his income. Once his application was approved, their financial situation improved dramatically. Bob was still liable for a share of his care facility costs, but his cost was reduced from $5,000 to $3,000 a month, thanks to Medi-Cal covering $2,000 of the costs each month.
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, in 2022, the penalty for not having coverage the entire year was a minimum of $850 per adult and $425 per dependent child under 18 in the household.
