The ACA Repeal in California: Who Stands to Lose? The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has had a significant impact on reducing the number of uninsured residents in California, from 6.5 million in 2013 to 3.3 million in 2015. The two major reasons for this decline in uninsurance were the expansion of Medicaid and the provision of financial assistance for purchasing coverage through the state health insurance marketplace, Covered California. The ACA has also helped reduce health coverage disparities, particularly among those with the lowest income, young adults, part-time workers, and Latinos. Repealing the ACA would leave millions without health insurance and undo the progress California has made in reducing inequality of health insurance access. This brief focuses on Californians enrolled in expanded Medi-Cal and those who receive subsidized coverage through Covered California, the two groups most immediately affected if the ACA is repealed. However, many more Californians could see diminished health coverage under various Congressional Republicans’ proposals to repeal and replace the ACA.
