Millions of Californians rely on the health care safety net.
- The health care safety net is a patchwork of programs and providers that deliver coverage and care to people with low incomes, no private insurance, and/or special medical needs.
- Medi-Cal—California’s Medicaid program—is its cornerstone, providing health coverage for over 14 million Californians in July 2024 and serving as the primary funding source for safety net providers.
- Additional state and local programs, like California Children’s Services and county indigent care programs, pay for health care services for low-income people not eligible for Medi-Cal—prior to recent program expansions, many were undocumented immigrants—and those with specific health conditions.
- Core safety net providers—including county hospitals, health clinics, and emergency departments (EDs)—are located throughout the state and treat patients regardless of their ability to pay or their immigration status.
California’s health care safety net has expanded dramatically—but millions remain uninsured.
- California’s uninsured rate declined dramatically over the past decade, as Medi-Cal coverage expanded and Covered California offered subsidized options for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
- Still, about 2.4 million Californians reported being uninsured in spring 2023. Most are adults under 65 (2 million), about two-thirds (1.6 million) are Latino, and about four in ten (1 million) are noncitizens. Nearly one-third (0.8 million) have incomes below 150% of the federal poverty line and should be eligible for either Medi-Cal or no-cost coverage through Covered California.