UPDATED: President Obama Lauds California for Innovative Public-Private Partnership

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, President Barack Obama commended California for leading the way on health care reform by recognizing an innovative partnership between The California Endowment, Covered California, and Latino news giants Univision, Telemundo, and impreMedia. The partnership is the first of its kind in working collectively to educate Latinos about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and drive them to enroll in health insurance.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130607/DC28615)  

"These leaders from California's government, the California Endowment, and major Spanish language media outlets have joined together to help implement the Affordable Care Act here in California and to educate folks about how to sign up and shop for quality, affordable plans.  And their efforts have already shown some excellent results in the biggest insurance market in the country," said President Obama.

The partners—from philanthropy, government and media—recognized the opportunity to join forces and target the largest uninsured group in California—Latinos.  Latinos comprise only 38 percent of California's overall population, yet they make up more than 61 percent of the state's uninsured population. More than half of uninsured Latinos speak Spanish at home. Together, the partners will reach nearly all of the state's 15 million Latinos.

"The dynamic forces involved in this partnership are unparalleled," said Monica Lozano, CEO of impreMedia. "By strategically designing the campaign to reach Latinos, we  knew  that this would be a comprehensive public service effort, combining the knowledge base and practical expertise of  the public entities and our trusted voices and reach in television, print, radio, and online."

"Working with Latino media partners over the last two years has helped us move the needle tremendously in educating Latinos and others about the Affordable Care Act," said Robert K. Ross, M.D., President and CEO of The California Endowment. "However, we now need that same group to activate and enroll so that they can experience the benefits of the health law firsthand. Thanks to the engagement of Monica Lozano and other media leaders, we'll achieve that."

"Covered California recognizes that a significant component of its success rests on partnerships that reach Latino communities with a motivating message to enroll in Covered California health plans. The partnership with The California Endowment and Spanish language media is a perfect fit," said Peter V. Lee, Executive Director of Covered California.

The partnership will utilize a multimedia approach that engages Latinos through print, television, radio, and the web, especially social media. The effort is an integral part of a multi-year outreach and enrollment campaign known as Asegúrate, or "Get Covered", which utilizes tested messages and trusted news figures to deliver key information.

"As an important news source for the U.S. Latino community, Univision News is proud to partner with Covered California and The California Endowment to provide our audiences with the facts and tools they need to gain a better understanding of the new healthcare law before some of its most important provisions come into effect," said Isaac Lee, President of Univision News. "This multifaceted campaign is one more instance of Univision's unwavering commitment to informing and empowering U.S. Latinos."  

"Serving the Latino population is and continues to be the top priority for the Telemundo Stations. With over 4.5 million uninsured Latinos in California, educating our viewers on new access to health care options is a key component of our mission," said Manuel Abud, President of the Telemundo Station Group. "We want our viewers to not only understand the law, but be able to actively make the best healthcare choice for their families, taking full advantage of accessible benefits that will ultimately improve their quality of life."

Starting in the fall, Covered California will begin early enrollment through its online marketplace and will allow Californians to compare and select health insurance that best fits their needs, as well as determine if they are eligible for financial assistance to make coverage more affordable. Pending Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.'s action, this partnership will also work to enroll Medi-Cal beneficiaries who fall under the expansion.

For additional information, please read our Fact Sheet in English or Spanish.

Or, visit www.asegurate.com.

About The California Endowment
The California Endowment, a private, statewide health foundation, was established in 1996 to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians. Headquartered in downtown Los Angeles, The Endowment has regional offices in Sacramento, Oakland, Fresno and San Diego, with program staff working throughout the state. The Endowment challenges the conventional wisdom that medical settings and individual choices are solely responsible for people's health. Through its 'Health Happens Here' campaign and ten-year initiative for Building Healthy Communities, The Endowment is creating places where children are healthy, safe and ready to learn. At its core, The Endowment believes that health happens in neighborhoods, schools, and with prevention. For more information, visit The California Endowment's homepage at www.calendow.org.

About Covered California
California was the first state to create a health benefit exchange following the passage of the federal health care law. Covered California is charged with creating a new insurance marketplace in which individuals and small businesses can get access to health insurance. With coverage starting in 2014, Covered California will help individuals compare and choose a health plan that works best for their health needs and budget. Financial help will be available from the federal government to help lower costs for people who qualify on a sliding scale. Small businesses will be able to purchase competitively priced health 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 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 Legislature. For more information on Covered California, please visit www.CoveredCA.com.

About Telemundo Station Group
Telemundo Station Group, part of Telemundo Media, oversees 14 owned television stations in the U.S., as well as independent Spanish-language television station WKAQ in Puerto Rico, and offers support to 50 affiliates across the country. In addition, Telemundo Station Group manages 10 dedicated local websites and applications, and a digital out-of-home operation that reaches consumers in 17 Hispanic markets. Producing and broadcasting more than 5,000 hours of unique and relevant local content each year, including award-winning news, public affairs and entertainment programs, Telemundo Station Group serves Hispanic viewers in the metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Chicago, Bay Area, San Antonio, Phoenix, Fresno, Denver, Las Vegas, Boston, Tucson, and Puerto Rico. Telemundo Media, a division of NBCUniversal, is a world-class media company, leading the industry in the production and distribution of high-quality Spanish-language content across its multiplatform portfolio to U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world.

About impreMedia
impreMedia is the leading Hispanic news and Information Company in the U.S. in online and print. impreMedia's multi-platform offerings range from online to video, social media, mobile, audio, newspapers and magazines, including IMPOWER, it´s Digital Publisher Group. 25.5% of U.S. Hispanic adults use an impreMedia network product. The network is also the nation's largest Hispanic newspaper publisher with newspapers in top U.S. Hispanic markets, reaching 15 markets total that represent 59% of the U.S. Hispanic population. Its leading publications include La Opinión in Los Angeles and El Diario La Prensa in New York. For more information, visit: http://www.impreMedia.com.

About Univision News
Univision's award-winning News division is committed to informing the country's fastest growing segment across all media platforms, including TV, Radio, and Interactive. Hispanics count on the latest and most relevant content that impacts the community through: "Noticiero Univision," the Network's evening, late evening and weekend national newscast; Sunday public affairs program "Al Punto" (To The Point); newsmagazine shows "Aquí y Ahora" (Here and Now) and "Primer Impacto" (First Impact); as well as morning news segments on "Despierta América" (Wake Up America). In the last year, Univision has strengthened its news team and expanded its news operations by adding Investigative and Documentary Units.

Interviews are available upon request. Please contact:

Hilda Martinez: (916) 612-3754
[email protected]

Dana Howard: (916) 205-8403
[email protected]

SOURCE The California Endowment