[Espanol]
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California™ announced today that Dolores Huerta, co-founder of United Farm Workers and a longtime civil rights leader, will appeal to Californians, especially Latinos, to get health care coverage before the end of open enrollment, March 31.
Huerta, a close ally of Cesar Chavez, is featured in radio
spots and on videos available on YouTube, in English and Spanish, calling on
Latinos to sign up for insurance. In the segments, Huerta reminds her audience
that access to health care is a cornerstone of the decades-long struggle for
Latino-American equality and that Latinos’ participation will drive the success
of the new marketplace.
“If Cesar (Chavez) were here today, he would say to
everyone who needs to get enrolled, especially our young people, ‘We have to be
responsible citizens, and we have to understand, if we do not do our part, we
can’t help our community,’” Huerta says in the video. “We’re talking about
millions of Latinos that do not have health insurance. You are a very important
part of this. Lots of sacrifices have been made, and all we have to do is just sign
up.”
California will mark the gains of the United Farm Workers on
Cesar Chavez Day, March 31, also the final day of open enrollment for Covered
California plans. In honor of Chavez, Huerta will take an active role in a
series of events throughout the remainder of March, called “Days of Action.”
“Dolores Huerta is respected nationwide for her human
rights work but holds a special place of honor for Californians, and we believe
targeted messages from her to the Latino community will encourage people to
sign up,” said Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee. “She is
particularly well-known among Latino women in our state, who are often the
driving force in households for taking care of their families’ health.”
Lee and Huerta appeared together at a press conference in
Los Angeles today to unveil the radio and video segments. Huerta will be a
featured supporter of Covered California activities throughout March to promote
enrollment.
To view the
videos, visit http://daysofaction.CoveredCA.com/p/youtube-videos.html.
Huerta has established a reputation of fighting for social
and economic justice since she and Chavez formed the farm workers’ union in
1962. She is known for a fierce determination to better the lives of workers,
immigrants and women. She has received many awards, including the Eleanor Roosevelt
Human Rights Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Huerta now operates the Dolores Huerta Foundation, which
continues to work toward creating social change to improve people’s lives.
About Covered California
Covered California is the state’s marketplace for the
federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Covered California, in
partnership with the California Department of Health Care Services, was charged
with creating a new health insurance marketplace in which individuals and small
businesses can get access to affordable health insurance plans. With coverage
starting in 2014, Covered California helps individuals determine whether they
are eligible for premium assistance that is available on a sliding-scale basis
to reduce insurance costs or whether they are eligible for low-cost or no-cost
Medi-Cal. Consumers can then compare health insurance plans and choose the plan
that works best for their health needs and budget. Small businesses can
purchase competitively priced health insurance plans and offer their employees
the ability to choose from an array of plans and may qualify for federal tax
credits.
Covered California is an independent part of the state
government whose job is to make the new market work for California’s consumers.
It is overseen by a five-member board appointed by the Governor and the Legislature.
For more information on Covered California, please visit www.CoveredCA.com.
