California Asset Building Program

The recession is taking its toll on working families. Millions are living in asset poverty, meaning they don’t have enough savings to survive for three months if they were to lose their job, or suffer a medical emergency. Wealth inequality is at historic highs, jobs are less secure, and family incomes are increasingly volatile. Amidst all of these challenges, there is positive news from the legislative front that will empower California’s families.

The recession is taking its toll on working families. Millions are living in asset poverty, meaning they don’t have enough savings to survive for three months if they were to lose their job, or suffer a medical emergency. Wealth inequality is at historic highs, jobs are less secure, and family incomes are increasingly volatile. Amidst all of these challenges, there is positive news from the legislative front that will empower California’s families.

For Immediate Release - October 4: Recognizing the need to assist California residents struggling with medical debt, healthcare practitioners joined financial services providers and community groups last week to discuss how best to implement the Affordable Care Act and strategies for keeping Californians from acquiring medical debt.

LOS ANGELES – Recognizing the need to assist Los Angeles residents struggling with medical debt, healthcare practitioners today joined financial services providers and community groups to discuss how best to implement the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles and strategies for keeping Angelenos out of debt. Speakers also highlighted options for those plagued by medical debt.

Tarnish on the Golden State, a new report issued by the New America Foundation, exposes how medical debt can lead to ill health and financial insecurity for individuals and families. Tens of millions of American families struggle to pay health insurance premiums and medical bills. In 2010, 44 million working aged American adults had medical debt or medical bills they were paying off over time. In California, over two million people had medical debt prior to the recession and the problem has likely become worse since then.

Over two million Californians have medical debt. These residents find it difficult to access needed health care or affordable credit. Medical debt and its consequences illustrate the detrimental effect of inadequate health insurance coverage. The financial stress resulting from unaffordable healthcare costs makes it harder for Californians to pay other bills. For Californians with medical debt, their physical, mental and financial health are at risk, as is their long term financial security.

Over two million Californians have medical debt. These residents find it difficult to access needed health care or affordable credit. Even with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, many East Bay residents will continue to struggle with medical debt that makes it harder for them to pay other bills and leads to financial and mental stress.

Over two million Californians have medical debt. These residents find it difficult to access needed health care or affordable credit. Even after the passage of the Affordable Care Act, an estimated 80% of farm workers, who are undocumented, will continue to struggle with being uninsured and accessing healthcare. This can lead to medical debt that makes it harder for them to pay other bills and leads to financial and mental stress. For residents with medical debt, both their physical and financial health are at risk.

Over two million Californians have medical debt. These residents find it difficult to access needed health care or affordable credit. Even with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, many Los Angeles residents will continue to struggle with medical debt that makes it harder for them to pay other bills and leads to financial and mental stress.

For Immediate Release - September 13: Olivia Calderon, California Legislative Director at the New America Foundation, released the following statement in response to the U.S. Census numbers: