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Matinee: 'Covered California'
27 September 2025
Saturday matinees long ago let us escape from the ordinary world to the island of the Swiss Family Robinson or the mutinous decks of the Bounty. Why not, we thought, escape the usual fare here with Saturday matinees of our favorite photography films?
So we're pleased to present the 623rd in our series of Saturday matinees today: Covered California.
This short 2:30 video put a smile on our face during what, we have to imagine no one would contest, have been some pretty ugly days in America. We found it to be the inverse of every ugly thing going on.
Dustin Aksland was the stills photographer for the production that involved companies in London, Los Angeles, New York, Berlin, Toronto, Vancouver and Paris.
Covered California is the government agency offering subsidized Affordable Care Act plans for Californians. The state-run health insurance exchange assists citizens and legal residents with applying for marketplace coverage so they comply with the Affordable Care Act.
At the end of the month, the U.S. faces a government shutdown over Congress' failure to pass a bill to fund the government. At the heart of the dispute is the Democrats' insistence Republicans, who have left town until next month, negotiate to restore the tax credits provided by law since 2021 that will expire at the end of the year, increasing health care premiums for the 24 million Americans who rely on those credits. Keep America Covered has more on this predicament.
This video about the California agency providing Affordable Care Act subsidies is comprised of very short sequences illustrating a variety of Californians going through their daily lives. It's a portrait of a vibrant state, a population that doesn't take a break, a collection of humanity that excludes no one.
We found that uplifting. Here's the transcript:
We love California, but we love Californians even more. Look at us all, every color, every shade, every stripe. 60 countries in one state, and the music of 200 languages.
When you've got that much life in one place, you need care. You need love, you need a champion. At Covered California, we believe every single Californian deserves healthcare that works. You shouldn't need a second job to afford a checkup or a law degree to understand your coverage, and you should never have to choose between getting care and paying rent.
So let us haggle, let us cut through the confusion and stand up to the system. We are not a health insurance company. We don't answer to shareholders. We answer to you the ones who keep California running, the parents, the kids, the never quitters, and the double shifters. We'll show up for you. We'll fight for you because we are you. For the love of Californians covered California.
Pretty simple demonstration of what public service is all about and just exactly who it is for. Something sadly missing in today's polemics.
Outright prolonged applause.