San Rafael, CA – The Marin County Board of Supervisors supported the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and unanimously passed a resolution opposing widely publicized plans by the incoming presidential administration to repeal the health care law.
County Supervisors listen to public health advocate Peter Mendoza (left, at microphone) speak in support of the Affordable Care Act during the December 6 meeting.
The first line of the resolution, approved during the December 6 Board meeting, reads: “The County of Marin supports … the goal of securing high-quality, affordable physical and behavioral health care services for Americans of all ages, without discrimination and without suffering financial hardship.”
The ACA expands health care coverage through two systems, the Covered California option to purchase affordable health insurance, and Medi-Cal expansion for qualified low-income residents. Nearly 51,000 Marin County residents have benefited from the ACA with nearly 12,000 through Covered California and almost 39,000 through Medi-Cal.
Marin County Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for enrolling Marin residents into Medi-Cal, and its staff actively refers people to Covered California. Marin is one of California’s leading counties in enrolling its residents in ACA programs.
“The ACA plays a crucial role in the health and well-being of the populations we serve and brings us closer to our goal of health equity for everyone,” said HHS Director Dr. Grant Colfax. “With uncertainty ahead, we want residents to know that our commitment to provide high-quality health care services is unwavering, and we will make sure the community is informed about the future of this coverage.”
Marin residents are encouraged to sign up for insurance coverage. Open enrollment for Covered California continues until December 15. For more information visit www.coveredca.com or call HHS Public Assistance at 415-473-3400.
Colfax said it is likely that there will be significant changes in federal health care policy and funding with a new presidential administration, but that “it’s premature to speculate about specifics. We will monitor shifts at the federal or state level that might affect local services,” he said.
Before the ACA, Marin County had programs in place for uninsured residents. In the event of changes to the ACA that would decrease coverage or services, HHS would strongly support actions to redress these gaps and work to meet any new unmet needs.
Marin’s primary care clinics continue to accept new patients and are providing primary care regardless of income, immigration status, or other factors. For more information on those and other programs, you can also visit HHS’ Resource Guide.