Health

It’s Enrollment Time at Covered California!

Published

9 years ago

October 27, 2017

By Charlene Muhammad, California Black Media

Enrollment for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) opens November 1, and Covered California, the state’s hub for affordable plans, launched its outreach to Black communities with a “Coffee & Conversation Media Roundtable” at the California Endowment on October 19.

The event was hosted by Dr. Robert Ross, president and CEO of the California Endowment, which makes grants to organizations and institutions that directly benefit the health and well-being of Californians.

Open enrollment ends on January 31. However, outside of that time, consumers may enroll in a plan if they experience a life event that qualifies them for a special-enrollment period.

Ross, Dr. Peter Lee, executive director of Covered California, and a host of speakers discussed the future of health insurance and health care for Black people in the state, particularly in a time of federal uncertainty and potential reforms to the national health care law.

In August, the Trump Administration announced it would allocate $10 million for advertising and other outreach for enrollment under the Affordable Care Act Department this year, vs. $100 million last year.

To maintain, Covered California has to add a surcharge averaging 12.4 percent to the Silver-tier plan next year. But don’t worry, it says because the plans will level out, with nearly four out of five consumers seeing their premiums stay the same or decrease, since the amount of financial help they receive will also rise.

Dr. Peter Lee, Executive Director of Covered California and Dr. Robert Ross,

Financial help means that in 2018, nearly 60 percent of subsidy-eligible enrollees will have access to Silver coverage for less than $100 per month — the same as it was in 2017 — and 74 percent can purchase Bronze coverage for less than $10 per month, explains Covered California.

It is vital that Black communities stay informed about the state health exchange and its efforts to enroll communities of color, and members of the Black press are key players in that goal, say the health care advocates.

Statewide, Covered California has reduced the eligible uninsured rate to a little over three percent, meaning it’s reaching universal coverage, according to Lee. That benefits all communities and to a very powerful degree, Black communities, he said.

Blacks make up approximately five percent of subsidy-eligible enrollments, and they make up eight percent of the new Medical enrollments, he said.

“We’re doing this in very odd and uncertain, turbulent times,” said Lee. In many ways, this fifth open enrollment period is the second-most important one Covered California has ever had, he said.

California’s decrease of 3.2 million people is the biggest decrease in the raw number of people uninsured nationwide, representing more than three states combined, cited Covered California from a U.S. Census report.

In the beginning, the network stumbled a little bit, but proved to the country it could endure, has done pretty well, and is a model for the U.S., Lee stated. He also said frankly that Covered California and the Affordable Care Act are under attack.

Both have weathered the storm and been very effective in continuing to deliver, Lee said, as he thanked the Black media as part of the reason they’ve been successful in California.

Covered California’s marketing campaign aims to help motivate, inform, and assist people with enrollment. “We’re at a time where telling our story has to happen on the ground,” Lee said.

While the average Californian, last open enrollment, saw, heard, read about Covered California 90 times, name recognition is not enough, Lee stated.

A survey of uninsured, eligible consumers showed 25 percent know it and 75 percent do not, according to Lee.

That is why the health insurance marketplace plans to spend $111 million – mostly on paid advertising – to make Blacks aware of benefits through Covered California, such as free preventive care services, lower cost, and quality choices from brand name companies.

The bottom line is quality health care is within reach, emphasized Ross, Lee, and other roundtable speakers, including physicians from Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital, and Covered California insurance agents.

“California has been a model for the successful implementation of Obamacare,” said Ross. “That partnership with the California Black Media and others, we think, is at least, partly responsible for seeing the level of success we have in getting coverage improvements in the African American community,” he stated.

Regina Wilson, California Black Media director, questioned, what, specifically, are the health insurance plans themselves doing in terms of outreach to Blacks who are eligible, but not enrolling.

“One of the things we hear when we’re out there is people are confused about what’s happening,” Wilson informed.

“Covered California, you guys have stepped to the plate. The Endowment always steps to the plate, but I see an absence when it comes to those individual plans marketing in those areas,” commended Wilson.

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Rep. Kamlager-Dove Introduces Bill to Protect Women in Custody After Reports Detailing Miscarriages and Neglect

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) on May 7, reintroduced updated legislation aimed at strengthening protections and healthcare standards for pregnant and postpartum women held in federal custody, including in immigration detention facilities.

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

The legislation builds on a bipartisan version previously passed by the House during the 117th Congress. The updated bill includes new standards for healthcare access, mental health and substance use treatment, high-risk pregnancy care, family unity protections and increased federal oversight.

“Proper pregnancy care is a human right, regardless of your immigration or incarceration status,” Kamlager-Dove said in a statement. “It’s unacceptable that there are virtually no legal safeguards for pregnant women in federal custody.”

The bill would also limit the use of restraints and restrictive housing for pregnant women, improve data collection on maternal health in custody and require additional staff training and enforcement measures.

Supporters of the measure said the legislation is intended to address long-standing concerns about maternal healthcare and safety in detention settings, particularly for Black women and low-income women who are disproportionately impacted by incarceration and health disparities.

“Pregnant women in custody should never be subjected to dangerous and inhumane treatment that threatens their health, dignity, or the well-being of their babies,” said Patrice Willoughby, chief of policy and legislative affairs for the NAACP and a longtime public policy and government affairs strategist, in a statement.

A 2021 report estimated there are about 58,000 admissions of pregnant women into U.S. jails and prisons each year. Kamlager’s statement also cited a recent investigation by NBC News and Bloomberg Law that identified allegations of severe mistreatment or medical neglect involving at least 54 pregnant women or families in county jails between 2017 and 2024.

Federal policy under the Department of Homeland Security restricts the detention of pregnant, postpartum and nursing immigrants except in extreme cases. However, the agency reported that ICE deported 363 pregnant, postpartum or nursing women between January 2025 and February 2026, including 16 recorded miscarriages during that period.

The bill is cosponsored by several House Democrats and backed by organizations including the NAACP and the Vera Institute of Justice.

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How Is AI Affecting California? The State Wants You to Share Your Story

The program marks the first time the state has opened the platform to all Californians. State officials said the effort is designed to give residents a direct role in discussions about how AI should be regulated and used as the technology rapidly expands across industries.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced May 7 that California is expanding its Engaged California digital democracy initiative statewide, inviting residents to help shape future state policies on artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on jobs and the economy.

“We’ve got to be clear-eyed about this moment: AI is moving fast, bringing enormous opportunity, but also real risks,” Newsom said in a statement. “Californians deserve a seat at the table as we shape what’s to come.”

The initiative will roll out in two phases. Beginning immediately, Californians can sign up online to share how AI is affecting their work and communities and provide ideas for possible government action. Later this summer, a smaller group reflecting the state’s workforce demographics will participate in live discussions focused on developing policy recommendations.

State officials said the goal is to identify areas of agreement among Californians and provide policymakers with public feedback as the state develops future AI regulations and workforce strategies.

Engaged California is modeled after digital democracy programs used in Taiwan and is intended to encourage structured public discussion rather than social media-style debate. Officials described the effort as a form of “deliberative democracy” aimed at helping residents engage directly in state decision-making.

“The more Californians are engaged in the democratic process, the better able we’ll be to confront the challenges we face together,” said Nick Maduros, California Secretary of Government Operations, in a statement.

The statewide launch builds on two earlier pilot programs. One pilot gathered public input following the Los Angeles firestorms to help guide recovery efforts, while another collected ideas from state employees about improving government operations.

California has positioned itself as a national leader in AI policy and development. Since 2023, the Newsom administration has introduced initiatives focused on responsible AI use in government, cybersecurity protections, workforce training and regulations targeting risks such as deepfakes and AI-generated robocalls.

The state has also partnered with companies in Silicon Valley — including NVIDIA, Google, Adobe, IBM and Microsoft — to expand AI education and workforce training programs across California schools and universities.

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Activism

California Launches Free Diaper Program for Newborns Statewide

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that California will launch a first-in-the-nation program providing free diapers to families with newborns, part of a broader effort to lower costs for parents and improve infant health outcomes.

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

State officials said hospitals participating in the program will give families the diapers when they are discharged after birth, helping parents leave with an immediate supply of newborn essentials.

“Every baby born in California deserves a healthy start in life,” Newsom said in a statement. He said the program is part of California’s broader affordability efforts, which also include free school meals, universal preschool for four-year-olds and expanded after-school programs.

The announcement comes ahead of Mother’s Day and is tied to the administration’s broader CalRx initiative, which aims to reduce costs for essential products and medications. State officials said California is also exploring ways to lower diaper prices by challenging high costs from major brands.

The first year of the program will prioritize hospitals serving large numbers of Medi-Cal patients, with plans to expand to additional hospitals and birthing centers over time. Officials said the effort is intended to reduce financial pressure on low-income families and improve infant and maternal health by ensuring parents have access to clean diapers.

“California families deserve to feel supported during one of life’s more exciting, yet vulnerable transitions,” First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom said in a statement. She said the program would allow parents to focus on caring for their newborns instead of worrying about basic supplies.

According to Baby2Baby, one in two families in the United States struggles to afford diapers. The organization has distributed more than half a billion items to children over the past 15 years through partnerships with shelters, hospitals, foster care programs and schools.

State officials said Baby2Baby will oversee diaper purchasing, warehousing and distribution through its existing hospital and community partnerships across California.