Study: Jump in number of California's uninsured

"The state's uninsured population jumped to 8.2 million in 2009, up from 6.4 million in 2007, marking the highest number over the last decade, investigators from UCLA's Center for Health Policy Research said," the Los Angeles Times reports. "People who were uninsured for part or all of 2009 accounted for 24.3% of California's population under age 65 -- a dramatic increase from 2007 driven largely by Californians who lost employer-sponsored health insurance, particularly over the last year. ... The ranks of uninsured children also grew. The study was based on phone interviews from 2007, updated with current insurance enrollment data."

Meanwhile, "California officials are wrestling with budget proposals by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to cut or eliminate publicly funded insurance programs that critics say cover more than 2.5 million low-income children and their parents -- some of whom lost coverage because of layoffs" (Helfand, 3/16).

Read UCLA's report here.