Consumers Urged to Sign Up for Health Insurance by Midnight Sunday
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With just one day remaining until open enrollment ends, Covered California announced Saturday that more than 415,000 had enrolled in health coverage by the end of the day Friday, including more than 25,000 on Friday alone.
“Up and down the state, we’re seeing enrollment happening in libraries, at health clinics and in insurance agents’ offices, with lines out the door at some locations,” said Peter V. Lee, Executive Director of Covered California. “Anyone who doesn’t have insurance should take steps to enroll soon so they can get in the door before the deadline.”
Lee said consumers who take action to start enrollment or make an appointment by midnight Feb. 15 will have until Feb. 20 to finish the process, as long as they are working with a Certified Insurance Agent, Certified Enrollment Counselor, plan-based enroller, county eligibility worker, or Service Center representative at Covered California.
Consumers can visit CoveredCA.com and click on “Find Local Help” to find enrollment events and storefront locations by ZIP code in their area.
After open enrollment ends, consumers may only purchase insurance through Covered California if they have a qualifying event. Medi-Cal enrollment is year-round.
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. 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 about Covered California, please visit www.CoveredCA.com.
