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Hi. I'm Chancellor Tim White
and I have some important news to share with you.
The Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare,
represents a new opportunity for millions of Americans
to obtain health care.
Starting in October, families and individuals will be able
to go to an online marketplace to get the coverage they need.
All of us know someone
whether it's a student, colleague,
family member or neighbor
who doesn't have health care coverage.
And that's why this message is so critical.
I want to make sure that you and your families, friends,
and neighbors know about this opportunity
so that you can take advantage and help us get this information
out to the people who need it the most.
With this new program, we have a historic opportunity
to get more Californians the coverage they need
and protect their families
from getting crushed by medical bills.
I'd like to introduce my good friend Herb Schultz,
who was appointed by President Obama to work
on health care issues.
Herb is the Director for the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services in our region.
It is such a pleasure to have the chance to speak with you
and to speak with the California State University community.
No one should have to go through life with the burden of knowing
that one illness or accident could mean losing everything.
No longer will you, your friends
or your family members be denied health insurance
for having a preexisting condition
like asthma, diabetes or cancer.
And you should not have to weigh
the cost of a medical procedure
against the cost of tuition and rent. That's why we have fought so hard
to reform the health care system
and finally put affordable health coverage within the reach
of millions more Americans.
Starting in October there will be a new way
there will be a new way to buy health insurance.
In every state
uninsured individuals and individuals who buy their insurance right now
and want to compare plans they have today with the new ones will be able to go online or meet
with an enrollment counselor
to access the Health Insurance Marketplace.
For the first time ever
individuals will have a place to shop
for health insurance plans in their area
and private insurers will need to compete for your business.
And community members will be able
to see how much these options cost without any hidden charges.
In California,
the state marketplace is called "Covered California."
And, depending on your income, you will be able to learn,
with a single application, if you qualify for a free
or low-cost plan through Medi-Cal
or additional assistance
that will help you lower your monthly premiums
for private insurance right away.
Enrollment for the new coverage options starts on October 1
and goes until March 31, 2014.
Californians who sign
up for coverage can start seeing these benefits go into effect
as early as January 1st, 2014.
But just expanding access to coverage is not enough.
We need uninsured individuals to sign up.
California State University is a critical partner
and we need your help sharing these coverage options
with your community.
Thank you so much, Herb.
California State University has partnered
with Covered California to make sure we,
across all our campuses,
are informed about the changes that are coming.
You will soon be seeing students on your campus
who will be helping to educate
and enroll members of our community.
Every one of us knows someone whose life could be changed
by affordable health insurance.
Now is the time to make a difference in your community.
I encourage you to think
about how you can help in this vital effort.
Please visit the California State University website
at www.calstate.edu to find out how you can get involved.
To get the latest details on the coverage options,
please visit Coveredca.com.
And to see how ObamaCare is being implemented
across the nation, or if you have any questions
about the law, please visit HealthCare.gov
or cuidadodesalud.gov for the latest news and updates.
Herb, thank you for sharing this information with us.
And thank you to our CSU students, faculty,
and staff for your involvement.
We look forward to a time
when affordable health coverage is a reality for every American.