SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Due to very high demand for health
insurance through Covered California, the deadline to enroll for coverage
starting Jan. 1 will be extended until Dec. 17 to accommodate the surge in
interest.
The Service Center will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on
Dec. 16 and Dec. 17.
“The spike in interest we are seeing in the last few days
tells us there is continued demand for quality, affordable coverage,” said
Executive Director Peter V. Lee. “We already have enrolled more consumers this
year for Jan. 1 coverage than we did last year.”
Covered California has heard from our certified enrollers,
including agents, that they still are processing thousands of applications and
appreciate the additional time to ensure consumers receive coverage for all of
2016.
“We want to make sure everyone calling for coverage gets
the help they need,” Lee said.
Consumers should know there are a multitude of ways to
enroll, including online at www.CoveredCA.com.
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.
Open enrollment runs through Jan. 31. Consumers who enroll
after Dec. 17 will have their coverage start in either February or March.
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.
