​Summary: As California confronts the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ensuing economic recession, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is providing a vital safety net. Many Californians losing their jobs and job-based health insurance can turn to either Covered California or Medi-Cal to stay covered, options that would not have been there before the ACA. In addition, it is estimated that Medi-Cal is covering close to a million of the workers Californians are relying on so heavily during the pandemic. This includes Californians with jobs like home health aides, grocery store workers, farm workers, warehouse workers, and more. Many low-income workers in these jobs are not offered job-based coverage or can’t afford the premiums for it. 

The Trump Administration continues, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, to pursue a federal lawsuit to invalidate the entire ACA. If successful, the lawsuit could end all consumer protections and all forms of health care coverage currently provided under the law. It is estimated that 20 million Americans could lose health coverage, including 3.8 million Californians. The issue brief shows how many Californians by local congressional district get their coverage through Medi-Cal or Covered California, or benefit from the ACA’s protections for those with preexisiting conditions. 

This brief cites data from the 2018 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS).