UCLA Center for Health Policy Research

In 1999, 6.8 million nonelderly Californians were uninsured, down from 7.3 million the previous year. This drop in the number of uninsured was the result of a 2.3-percentage point gain in employment-based health insurance coverage and a slower decline in Medi-Cal coverage compared to the previous several years. California’s recent upturn in coverage follows years of persistent and rising rates of uninsurance, despite the booming economy during this period.