The Health Care Priorities and Experiences of California Residents
Section 6: Experiences Of The Uninsured
Half of the non-elderly uninsured in California say they’ve been without insurance for 2 years or more. The main reason they report being without insurance is that it’s too expensive or they can’t afford it (31 percent), followed by employment-related reasons (10 percent). [Figure 39]
Worries about exposing their own or someone else’s immigration status may also prevent some uninsured Californians from seeking coverage. Four in ten of those without insurance say they are worried that if they signed up for health insurance, they would draw attention to their own or a family member’s immigration status. This includes three in ten who say they are “very worried” and another one in ten who say they are “somewhat” worried. [Figure 40]
Figure 39
Figure 39: Cost Is The Biggest Barrier To Getting Insurance For The Uninsured
Figure 40
Figure 40: Worries About Immigration Status May Keep Some Uninsured Californians From Seeking Health Insurance