"Free clinics across California are bracing for a surge of uninsured patients as provisions in President Donald Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' take effect, eliminating federal subsidies for some Affordable Care Act plans and tightening Medicaid eligibility rules."
"About 160,000 Californians have already lost federal subsidies that made their premiums cheaper and in the coming years, state officials estimate that the number of Californians without health insurance - currently around 2 million - could double by 2030."
"The White House has defended the OBBB, arguing that these changes will help eliminate 'waste, fraud, and abuse' from the nation's healthcare system. But doctors and volunteers who staff free clinics are already seeing people who have lost coverage."
"Free clinics have existed for decades across the Bay Area, offering primary care to those without health insurance. Many serve suburban and rural communities far from the medical infrastructure of the region's larger cities."
In summer 2023, a woman sought care at Hijas del Campo after discovering breast bumps. This nonprofit offers free healthcare through a mobile clinic for low-income and undocumented residents. California's free clinics are preparing for a surge in uninsured patients due to changes in federal healthcare policies, which have already affected 160,000 Californians. The number of uninsured could rise to 4 million by 2030, straining safety-net clinics. Free clinics have long provided essential services, especially in underserved areas.
Read at Kqed
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]