During health care reform's 2014 implementation, up totwo-thirds of California's 7 million uninsuredpopulation will become eligible for health insurance coverage,according to a new policy brief from the UCLA Center for HealthPolicy Research.

The policy brief, Two-thirds of California's 7 Million Uninsured May Obtain CoverageUnder Health Care Reform, estimates 4.7 million Californianswill likely be eligible for either the health insurance exchange orMedi-Cal expansion, which is based on county-by-county estimates ofthe number of Californians with job-based, public or privateinsurance in 2009 along with those who were uninsured for all orpart of that year.

"This expansion will have a huge impact on the number of peoplewithout insurance," says Shana Alex Lavarreda, the lead author ofthe brief. "It will provide relief in the short term to millions ofCalifornians who currently have no insurance options. And it willprovide long-term relief to all residents by shifting the taxpayeremphasis from high-cost emergency room services to lower-costpreventative care."