SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California™ has reached milestone levels in the
number of professionals trained to help consumers, face to face, as they obtain
affordable, quality health insurance through the agency’s online marketplace.
“We are adding
in-person assisters by the hundreds each week,” said Covered California
Executive Director Peter V. Lee. “Our presence in neighborhoods across the
state is strong — and growing. Certified Enrollment Counselors, Certified
Insurance Agents and county eligibility workers provide consumers with personal,
secure and competent help in selecting a health insurance plan that fits their
medical needs and budget.”
Neighborhood
in-person enrollment assistance can be found easily on CoveredCA.com. The
website itself is another easy-to-use, do-it-yourself path consumers can take to
enroll in health insurance. Millions of consumers will qualify for financial
assistance to help them pay for coverage.
“There are many paths to the final destination of health
insurance coverage,” Lee said. “We have thousands of employees and partners
ready to help Californians in person.”
Covered California released updated numbers showing that consumer
interest in the agency’s health insurance marketplace and Medi-Cal remained
strong. During the week ending Nov. 30, more than 374,000 unique visits were
made to CoveredCA.com, a site created jointly with the California Department of
Health Care Services. In addition, 62,520 calls were logged by the Covered
California Service Center.
Since open enrollment began Oct. 1, consumers have been shopping for and
comparing health care coverage through Covered California, where consumers also
can determine if they are eligible to enroll, eligible for subsidies or
eligible for Medi-Cal.
The number of
enrollment applications started continues to climb from 385,556 through Nov. 23
to 431,756 through Nov. 30.
Total enrollment for
November is scheduled for release in December.
Here’s what consumers of Covered California’s health insurance
plans are saying through post-enrollment surveys:
“This is such a
blessing for my family. We were paying extremely high health care premiums with
a high deductible and were not able to afford to go to a doctor because of our
high deductible. Thank you President Obama and Covered California for making
this all possible.” — Anonymous (via preliminary enrollment application
survey)
“It is WONDERFUL to be able to choose a health plan, without worry
about pre-existing conditions and such!!!” — Anonymous (via preliminary
enrollment application survey)
“We are just thankful
for help paying our health insurance. It’s nice to shop and fill out forms in
the comfort of your home. We are paying out 60% of our income for insurance,
this is going to make retirement more pleasant.” — Anonymous (via
preliminary enrollment application survey)
“I used it on Black
Friday, and it was a breeze! I’d rather shop for affordable health insurance
than stuff I can’t afford anyway. Thanks so much for helping people like me
out!” — Anonymous (via preliminary enrollment application survey)
About Covered California
Covered California is the state’s marketplace for the
federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Covered California, in
partnership with the California Department of Health Care Services, was charged
with creating a new health insurance marketplace in which individuals and small
businesses can get access to affordable health insurance plans. With coverage
starting in 2014, Covered California helps individuals determine whether they
are eligible for premium assistance that is available on a sliding-scale basis
to reduce insurance costs or whether they are eligible for low-cost or no-cost
Medi-Cal. Consumers can then compare health insurance plans and choose the plan
that works best for their health needs and budget. Small businesses can
purchase competitively priced health insurance plans and offer their employees
the ability to choose from an array of plans and may qualify for federal tax
credits.
Covered California is an independent part of the state
government whose job is to make the new market work for California’s consumers.
It is overseen by a five-member board appointed by the Governor and the Legislature.
For more information on Covered California, please visit www.CoveredCA.com.
About the Department of Health Care Services
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) works to preserve and improve the physical and mental health of all Californians. DHCS provides health care services for more than 8.5 million Californians through Medi-Cal, including medical, dental, mental health, substance use treatment services and long-term services and supports. This is accomplished through an investment of approximately $70 billion annually in public funds for the care of low-income families, children, pregnant women, seniors and persons with disabilities. DHCS focuses on delivering quality, effective services primarily through the more coordinated systems of care provided by 21 Medi-Cal managed care plans located in all of California’s 58 counties. For more information about DHCS, please visit www.dhcs.ca.gov.
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) works to preserve and improve the physical and mental health of all Californians. DHCS provides health care services for more than 8.5 million Californians through Medi-Cal, including medical, dental, mental health, substance use treatment services and long-term services and supports. This is accomplished through an investment of approximately $70 billion annually in public funds for the care of low-income families, children, pregnant women, seniors and persons with disabilities. DHCS focuses on delivering quality, effective services primarily through the more coordinated systems of care provided by 21 Medi-Cal managed care plans located in all of California’s 58 counties. For more information about DHCS, please visit www.dhcs.ca.gov.
