Capitol Weekly
By Alisen Boada

There’s NOT an app for that – but there probably should be.

California has until 2014 to create a system for enrolling its 4.7 million uninsured and underinsured citizens who are eligible for new benefits under the federal Affordable Healthcare Act. The state’s powerful Health Benefit Exchange Board is working to create a web portal with some ambitious goals: allowing Californians to check their healthcare eligibility, compare cost options, and enroll in an insurance plan, all in real time over the Internet.

But there’s a problem.

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Huffington Post
By Preeti Vissa

Issues that affect our lives don’t happen in a vacuum. Everything affects everything else, and there’s no area where that’s truer than health and access to care. So I’m going to take a slight detour from the financial and economic issues I write about most of the time to say a bit about the Affordable Care Act, which marks a historic expansion of access to health care.

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Los Angeles Times
By David Zahniser

Maria Sencion has been feeling dizzy. Not all the time, but for a few minutes each week — just enough to make her wonder if she should see a doctor.

With that nagging worry in the back of her mind, the 47-year-old mother of four went on Saturday to the healthcare enrollment fair staged by Building Health Communities South Los Angeles.
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New America Media
By Zaineb Mohammed

4.7 million uninsured or underinsured Californians are expected to become eligible for healthcare under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). And according to a report published by the Greenlining Institute today, most of the newly eligible will be from communities of color.
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Contra Costa Times
By Josh Richman

Recent healthcare reforms could leave millions of Californians behind unless the state’s new Health Benefit Exchange board moves aggressively to reach them, according to a new report from a Berekely-based advocacy group.

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The Latin Voice of California’s Central Valley

Populations most in need of health insurance — and critical to successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act — could be left out unless California’s Health Benefit exchange board moves aggressively to reach them, according to a report released by The Greenlining Institute.

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Contact: Bruce Mirken, Greenlining Institute Media Relations Coordinator, 510-926-4022; 415-846-7758 (cell)

Health Benefit Exchange Board Must Aggressively Target Underserved Communities

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA – Populations most in need of health insurance and critical to successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act could be left behind unless California’s Health Benefit Exchange board moves aggressively to reach them, The Greenlining Institute argues in a report to be released this Thursday and presented at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ fall meeting on Friday.

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Precinct Reporter Group
By Alexis Dennis and Carla Saporta

The implementation of federal health care reform – officially known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or ACA for short – is underway. This represents a huge opportunity for communities of color, who are disproportionately uninsured – but only if we get it right.

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Fox Business
By Susan Ladika

Imagine walking into your corner drugstore to pick up aspirin, toothpaste and individual health insurance.

That day might not be so far away. Walgreens reportedly may enter the health insurance marketplace this fall, selling a variety of health plans at a variety of price points, although the company has not confirmed such reports.

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Contact: Bruce Mirken, Greenlining Institute Media Relations Coordinator, 510-926-4022; 415-846-7758 (cell)

Consumer Advocates Applaud Critical Protection for Small Businesses, Individuals

AB 52, which would allow state regulators to reject excessive health insurance rate increases, passed the Senate Health Committee today by a vote of 5 to 3.
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