California clinics brace for the health law's new patients

May 23 2014

New research in California examined the readiness of Los Angeles clinics for the onslaught of people with new health insurance. Another study seeks to calculate the Medi-Cal costs of providing care to immigrants who are in the United States illegally. 

Los Angeles Times: Only 2 in 5 L.A. Health Clinics Are Ready For Obamacare Patients
A May brief from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research examined approximately 40 clinics in the Los Angeles area to determine how prepared they were for an expected increase in new patients because of the Affordable Care Act, the national healthcare law that went into full effect this year. Historically used by low-income patients with few options, community health clinics have begun employing a variety of strategies to make themselves more attractive to patients with new insurance plans and choices (Karlamangla, 5/21).

Los Angeles Times: Study Sees Modest Costs In Healthcare For Immigrants Here Illegally
Extending healthcare to people in the country illegally would cost the state a modest amount more but would significantly improve health while potentially saving money for taxpayers down the road, according to a study released Wednesday. The study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research estimates that the net increase in state spending would be equivalent to 2% of state Medi-Cal spending, or between $353 million and $369 million next year, while the net increase in spending would be up to $436 million in 2019 (McGreevy, 5/21).

Also, ABC News examines public perceptions about the health law -

ABC News: In Views of Obamacare, Perceived National Impact Trumps Self-Interest
It's easy to think that people are "in it for themselves" as the saying goes, with their policy and political preferences motivated by narrow self-interest. But decades-old research shows that this often is not the case – and a new analysis we've conducted of attitudes about Obamacare backs it up. We looked after hearing a comment at a polling conference last week echoing others we've noticed about the Affordable Care Act – that the law lacks broad public support because people think it's harming their own health care or increasing their costs. When policy impacts get personal, the thinking goes, look out. Not so fast (Langer, 5/21).