Skip to main content
FQHC Talent

Cookie notice

Allow detailed analytics to improve the site?It's from us, Google and Vercel, and stays off until you accept. If you're signed in, it can link your visits across devices. Declining doesn't limit what you can use. Details & privacy.

Back to the news
Funding & Budget

CenCal CEO says 25,000 Santa Barbara County residents could lose coverage

Central CoastMore from California

Issue

California county safety-net budgetsWatching

Next: · Staff report back to the Board on the Community Services Agency deficit and position cuts

CenCal Health CEO Marina Owen projected that 25,000 Santa Barbara County residents could lose health insurance in 2026 and 50,000 in 2027, the Santa Barbara Independent reported. These are projections, and the article gives no method.

Local hospitals, clinics, the county, CenCal and the Santa Barbara Foundation have met twice to help residents keep coverage.

Key points

  • Owen projects 25,000 Santa Barbara County residents could lose coverage in 2026 and 50,000 in 2027; the article supplies no methodology or cumulative-versus-incremental definition.
  • The article reports two cross-sector meetings and a third planned among local hospitals and clinics, the county, CenCal, and the Santa Barbara Foundation.
  • The article names the local FQHC safety-net cohort but does not identify individual meeting attendees or quantify organization-specific effects.
  • Owen cites $30 million for coordinated care, while CalMatters' final budget breakdown shows $39 million, and the two may be different line items.

Sources for this story

Santa Barbara Independent

Part of

Affected FQHCs

Santa Barbara Neighborhood ClinicsAmerican Indian Health & ServicesSanta Barbara County Public Health Department

Sources for your board packet

This story's source plus 4 related stories and their sources, ready to print for your team or board.

Free. Unlocking the packet subscribes you to Intel Brief. You'll also get a short welcome series and the occasional product update. You'll be subscribed right away, with no confirmation email. Unsubscribe with one click in any issue. If you unsubscribed before, we won't re-add you. We never sell your email. You can open each source above without an email.

More in Funding & Budget

Cite this analysis

FQHC Talent. (2026, July 15). CenCal CEO says 25,000 Santa Barbara County residents could lose coverage. Source: Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved November 11, 2026, from https://www.fqhctalent.com/intel/cencal-ceo-santa-barbara-uninsured-25k-50k-all-hands-july-2026