Access to the Affordable Care Act for Asian American and Pacific Islander Small Business Owners and Employees in California

With the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), the U.S. healthcare system is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. In 2014, the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) conducted a qualitative research project consisting of focus groups and key informant interviews in order to understand how these changes affect underserved populations, specifically Asian American and Pacific Islander (AA and PI) small business owners and employees with higher rates of uninsurance than those who work for large employees. A similar study was conducted in 2013 with AA and PI small business owners and employees in California. This brief presents key findings of the 2014 project as well as tips and recommendations for policymakers and in-person assisters in California to enroll AA and PI small business owners and employees in health insurance.