SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California joined with Latino
leaders on Tuesday to spread the word that time is running out for uninsured
Californians to sign up for quality health care coverage.
“We are teaming up with leaders of Latino communities to
make sure that we reach out to everyone who is eligible for coverage,” said
Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee. “We want to drive home the
message that the Jan. 31 deadline is coming up and remind consumers that
financial help is available through Covered California.”
Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-Azusa, who chairs the Senate Health
Committee, said uninsured Latinos across the state should explore their options
in this new era of health care and get health coverage for 2016.
“The Affordable Care Act has cut California’s uninsured
rate in half, and having access to health care is critical to building strong
families and communities,” Hernandez said. “Covered California is opening the
doors to the best doctors and hospitals in the state, while protecting
consumers from the high cost of medical bills and prescription drugs.”
Tuesday’s outreach effort included a teleconference with
Covered California, Hernandez, Carmen Rodriguez of the San Ysidro Health Center
and Spanish-language media.
In addition, both Hernandez and Lee wanted to alert
consumers to the increasing tax penalty if they choose to remain uninsured in
2016 and reassure them that their immigration status would not be shared with authorities.
“Any U.S. citizen or person who is lawfully present in
California is eligible for health insurance through Covered California even if
they have family members in their household who are undocumented,” Hernandez
said. “All information you submit is used strictly to determine your
eligibility for health insurance programs available under the Affordable Care
Act and will not affect the immigration status of any family member on the
application.”
Covered California developed an immigration status fact
sheet for consumers. The fact sheet is online at the following links:
- English: www.CoveredCA.com/news/PDFs/immigration-fact-sheet-ca.pdf.
- Spanish: www.CoveredCA.com/news/PDFs/immigration-fact-sheet-sp.pdf.
While noncitizens and undocumented residents will not be
eligible for Covered California health insurance plans, they may still be
eligible for specific, limited Medi-Cal programs. Individual consumers and
their families are encouraged to research their options through Covered
California to see what health coverage is available to them.
As for the tax penalty, in some cases a consumer could
actually save money by purchasing health insurance instead of paying the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS).
“The tax penalty starts at $695 for an adult, or $2,085 for
a family of four, and can easily be several hundred or even thousands of
dollars more,” Lee said. “That’s money that goes straight to the IRS, and the
consumer gets nothing in return. Don’t gamble with your health or your
financial future.”
For more information on how the tax penalty is calculated,
visit http://news.CoveredCA.com/2016/01/covered-california-estimates-hundreds.html
or http://news.CoveredCA.com/p/covered-california-estima-que-miles-de.html.
Covered California has also built an extensive network of
Spanish-language resources, including a full mirror website, at www.CoveredCA.com/es, and a dedicated
hotline for Spanish-speaking consumers, at (800) 300-0213. Consumers can also
find thousands of certified Spanish-speaking enrollers by visiting www.CoveredCA.com/get-help/local.
The in-person assistance is free, confidential and available in communities throughout
the state.
Consumers who apply may be eligible for financial
assistance depending on their income and family size. Approximately nine out of
every 10 enrollees receives some level of financial assistance to help pay for
their health care, with the average Covered California household receiving
$5,200 in financial assistance in 2014. Consumers can find out if they qualify
by using the Shop and Compare Tool on Covered California’s website.
Open
enrollment runs through Jan. 31. Consumers who qualify for low-cost or no-cost
Medi-Cal can enroll at any time.
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. F
