This policy brief examines the impact of national health care reform on addressing California's health coverage gaps. The authors thank several individuals for their contributions, including Claire Brindis, Jacob Hacker, Ann O'Leary, and Steve Shortell. The report focuses on the human face of health care reform, highlighting the millions of individuals and families who lack affordable insurance coverage or who are at risk of losing coverage or access to health care services. The authors estimate that the uninsured are sicker and die earlier than those who have insurance coverage, resulting in a loss to the U.S. economy of $100 to $200. The report is part of a policy series from the Berkeley Center on Health, Economic & Family Security.
