Report Ties Increase in Unemployment to Rise in California Uninsured
This year, California's uninsured population increased by 661,600 to six million residents, according to a new Families USA report, the Sacramento Bee's "Capitol Alert" reports.
The report notes that California experienced the largest numerical increase in uninsured residents and one of the highest proportionate increases nationwide (Walters, "Capitol Alert," Sacramento Bee, 10/20).
Families USA based its estimates on an Urban Institute model, which posits that every percentage-point increase in the unemployment rate leads to a 0.59 percentage-point increase in the proportion of uninsured adults.
The report notes that California's unemployment rates hit 12.3% in August and 12.2% in September.
National Findings
The report estimates that about four million more U.S. residents lost health insurance coverage this year.
It also notes that fewer than four in 10 residents eligible for COBRA coverage have elected to purchase the insurance, despite the 65% COBRA subsidy available through the federal economic stimulus law (Milbourn, "Handling Hard Times," Orange County Register, 10/20). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.