SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California™ and the California Department of Health Care
Services (DHCS) announced today that from Oct. 1, 2013, to Feb. 28, 2014, under
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 33,111 consumers in mostly
rural Northern California counties enrolled in subsidized and non-subsidized Covered
California health insurance plans. The new total represents a 19 percent increase
from the 27,853 enrollments recorded through Jan. 31. An additional 35,842 consumers
have been determined likely eligible for Medi-Cal in these counties.
The open-enrollment period for health insurance plans in Covered
California’s marketplace ends March 31. Enrollment in Medi-Cal is year round.
The Northern
California counties of Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte,
Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Nevada, Plumas, Shasta,
Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne and Yuba represent about 4
percent of the statewide enrollment. The local total includes 29,971 consumers
eligible for financial subsidies. These counties encompass Covered California
pricing region 1. For Medi-Cal, these 22 counties represent 3 percent of those
deemed likely eligible for Medi-Cal coverage.
The impressive
pace of enrollments in the region is due in part to enhanced aspects of Covered
California’s customer service. The agency has increased staff to answer
consumer calls, added phone lines, improved its website efficiency, expanded
its live Web chat function and upgraded its Spanish-language Web pages. DHCS is
continuing its work with counties and Covered California to process the vast
number of applications and quickly deliver health coverage to all who are
eligible.
For the five-month period ending Feb. 28, 880,082 consumers
enrolled in plans statewide. The total
increased to 923,832 through March 9. Covered California also announced on
Monday that it had enrolled
more than 1 million consumers as of March 14.
Tables and graphics
showing enrollment by metal tier and health insurance plan in all regions are
available online at www.CoveredCA.com/news/PDFs/regional-stats-feb/Feb_Regional_Tables.pdf and www.CoveredCA.com/news/PDFs/regional-stats-feb/feb_regional_pies_charts.pdf.
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 approximately 9.4 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 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.
