News Release

Date Posted

Covered California Enrollment Exceeds 140,000 As Critical Deadline for Coverage Approaches

Consumers Must Enroll by Midnight on Dec. 15 to Be Covered on Jan. 1

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With just one day remaining to enroll for health insurance starting in January, Covered California announced that more than 140,000 consumers had enrolled in coverage by the end of Sunday, Dec. 13.

“Once again, Covered California is seeing an incredible surge of interest, and thousands of people are enrolling at storefronts, insurance agent offices and community centers across the state every day,” Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee said. “Everyone who needs health insurance, or knows someone who does, should know they can get financial help to pay for top-brand health insurance coverage, and if they enroll by Dec. 15, their coverage can start on Jan. 1.”

Although open enrollment runs through Jan. 31, 2016, consumers must enroll by midnight Dec. 15 to have their coverage start by New Year’s Day.

Covered California estimates that there are currently about 750,000 uninsured Californians eligible for subsidies, and it forecasts that between 295,000 and 450,000 consumers will newly enroll in coverage during open enrollment. An additional 1.4 million people statewide are believed to qualify for low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal.

“We know that financial assistance is key in helping consumers get the health care coverage they need and deserve,” Lee said. “Our research shows that one-third of those eligible to get financial help to buy insurance don’t know it’s available, and we want to make sure our message reaches into every corner of the state.”

Enrollment locations can be found by visiting www.CoveredCA.com/get-help/local and searching for enrollment help by ZIP code. In addition, hundreds of locations with Covered California signage mark places where consumers can enroll confidentially and at no cost in a variety of languages. Consumers can also call Covered California directly at (800) 300-1506 to enroll over the phone.

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.