You may qualify for free or low-cost health insurance through Covered California, the California health insurance exchange.
Getting Health Insurance
The Berkeley Free Clinic has a health insurance hotline with certified enrollment counselors! Call 1-800-6-CLINIC (hint: their lines are jammed between 5:30-6:00pm, so you may want to call between 3pm and 5:30pm or after 6pm).
A number of community organizations, clinics, and government offices provide enrollment into health insurance and coverage programs (Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, CMSP/ACE, and other programs). If you are uninsured, there may be a wait to register at a community health clinic.
Medi-Cal
Medi-Cal is insurance for low-income children and adults through the age of 64. According to the East Bay Express, Medi-Cal was previously "only available to low-income children, mothers, and adults with disabilities. As of Jan. 1, 2014, low-income adults between the ages of 19 and 64 qualify for Medi-Cal under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). As of early Feb. 2014, Alameda County has apparently already signed up 90% of people who are eligible for Medi-Cal under the ACA [source].
Below is a list community health clinics and public health centers. Many of them have insurance enrollment counselors, some of them are free, some accept folks without insurance, and some accept low-income insurance such as Medi-Cal. Please call for details, or if you are knowledgeable about the services they provide, you can edit this page and add information. Thank you! :]
Free Clinics
Order of Malta Oakland Clinic
2121 Harrison St, Suite 120
(between 21st St & 22nd St)
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 587-3000
Berkeley Free Clinic
2339 Durant Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 548-2570 or (800) 6-CLINIC
Low-Cost Clinics
Note: Please inquire about pricing.
Alameda County Medical Center- Highland Hospital
1411 East 31st Street
Oakland, CA. 94602
(510) 437-8500
*Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, CMSP/ACE, FamilyPACT
Alameda County Medical Center- Eastmont Wellness Center
6955 Foothill Boulevard, Suite 200
Oakland, CA 94605
(510) 567-5700
*Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, CMSP/ACE, FamilyPACT
Asian Health Services
818 Webster Street
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 986-6880
*Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, CMSP/ACE, FamilyPACT
Frank Kiang Medical Center
(a clinic of Asian Health Services)
250 East 18th Street, 2nd Floor
Oakland, CA 94606
(510) 986-6860
*Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, CMSP/ACE, FamilyPACT
Healthy Communities – Save a Life Wellness Center
2580 San Pablo Ave.
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 444-9655
*Medi-Cal, CMSP/ACE
La Clinica de La Raza – Transit Village
3451 E. 12th Street
Oakland, CA 94601
(510) 535-4000
*Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, CMSP/ACE, FamilyPACT
La Clinica de la Raza – Clinica Alta Vista
1515 Fruitvale Avenue
Oakland, CA 94601
(510) 535-6300
*Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, CMSP/ACE, FamilyPACT
La Clinica de la Raza – San Antonio Neighborhood Health Center
1030 International Blvd
Oakland, CA 90406
(510) 238-5400
*Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, CMSP/ACE, FamilyPACT
LifeLong Medical Care – East Oakland
10700 MacArthur Blvd, Suite 14b
Oakland, CA 94605
(510) 704-6010
*Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, CMSP/ACE, FamilyPACT
LifeLong Medical Care – Downtown Oakland Clinic
616 16th Street
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 704-6010
*Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, CMSP/ACE, FamilyPACT
Native American Health Center
2950 International Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94601
(510) 535-4400
*Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, CMSP/ACE, FamilyPACT
West Oakland Health Center
700 Adeline Street
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 835-9610
*Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, CMSP/ACE, FamilyPACT
East Oakland Health Center
7450 International Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94621
(510) 430-9401
*Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, CMSP/ACE, FamilyPACT
Note: If you are uninsured, there may be a wait at the health clinics. It may take days, weeks, or longer to complete your registration and establish membership at a clinic. After you establish membership, you may set up an appointment to be seen. If you are already a member at a clinic, you can call as needed for appointments.
HealthPAC - Alameda County's previous health care program for low-income folks
HealthPAC (formerly known as CMSP or ACE) is the Alameda County health care initiative for uninsured, low-income residents (documented and undocumented) providing comprehensive health care services through a contracted network of health care providers.
Health services are provided through the HealthPAC Provider Network, which includes both the Alameda County Medical Center and primary care community-based organizations. Everyone (except for undocumented persons) who are enrolled in HealthPAC were automatically rolled over into Medi-Cal or the Covered California Exchange when Health Reform kicked in in 2014.
See the HealthPAC Brochure and the HealthPAC Participant Handbook for more information on the program.
