CVS/pharmacy and Ralphs to Help Inform Customers About the State’s Health Insurance Marketplace
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California™ has joined forces with
CVS/pharmacy stores and Ralphs supermarkets to increase education and awareness
about Covered California, the state’s online health insurance marketplace.
“Teaming up with large retailers like CVS and Ralphs
gives us additional opportunities to reach the millions of Californians who are
currently without insurance and provide them with the information they need to
enroll in a quality health insurance plan, including no-cost and low-cost
Medi-Cal,” Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee said.
Covered California brochures and other informational
items will be placed inside the retailers’ stores throughout California. At CVS/pharmacy
stores, the campaign will feature Covered California materials in health insurance
information displays at the front of the stores. At Ralphs stores, the campaign
will include material displays, in-store public service announcements and
messaging on receipts.
Consumers will be encouraged to visit www.CoveredCA.com, where they can shop for
and enroll in a health insurance plan. Information about the financial
assistance that many consumers may receive to help pay for coverage will also
be available.
Open enrollment for health insurance ends March 31.
CVS/pharmacy is providing information about the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and participating health insurance plans
in its 7,600 stores nationwide. CVS is California’s largest retail pharmacy,
with more than 850 locations in the state. Materials will be displayed in 120
stores in neighborhoods with the highest concentration of individuals eligible for
premium assistance through Covered California.
“As a health care provider that is dedicated to helping
people on their path to better health, we are doing all we can to provide
guidance and support to patients who need help understanding their health
insurance options under the Affordable Care Act,” said Helena Foulkes, president
of CVS/pharmacy. “That is why we are partnering with Covered California to make
uninsured patients aware of the state’s online health insurance marketplace.
Our stores are a convenient and accessible resource for Californians to receive
information to help them make their health insurance decisions.”
Ralphs is a major supermarket chain in Southern
California, and the largest
subsidiary of the Cincinnati-based Kroger Co., one of the largest retailers in
the United States based on annual sales. Ralphs has 88 stores in California, all
of which are participating in the partnership.
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.
