All Californians deserve the care they need, when they need it, and at a price they can afford. Californians with low incomes often face greater barriers to care than those with higher incomes.
low income california provides data based on the 2022 California Health Interview Survey. This quick reference guide, available below, is part of CHCF’s California Health Care Almanac, an online clearinghouse of leading data and analysis that describes the state’s health care landscape.
One in four low-income* Californians reported their health as “fair” or “poor.”
Twenty-five percent of low-income Californians reported their health as fair or poor, compared with 9% of high-income Californians.
Nearly one in four low-income* Californians lacked usual care.
Usual sources of care vary by income level. 23% of low-income Californians say they do not have access to regular care.
A higher percentage of low-income* Californians report difficulty finding specialty care.
In 2022, 29% of low-income adults in California who need to see a specialist will report having difficulty finding someone to see a specialist or accept them as a new patient. . 17% of high-income individuals reported difficulties. There was little difference in difficulty finding primary care by income level.
* low income Household income is less than 200% of the federal poverty level.
