- Consumers who want their health insurance to start on Jan. 1, 2018, must sign up for coverage by Dec. 15.
- While the federal deadline for open enrollment is Dec. 15, Covered California’s open-enrollment period runs through Jan. 31, 2018.
- Covered California’s “Covered in Art Tour” resumes Tuesday and will make an additional eight stops from Palm Springs to Redding.
- Based on the first month’s enrollment, most consumers are paying less for coverage.
“Covered California is back on the road, making sure that consumers know they need to sign up by Dec. 15 if they want their health care coverage to start at the beginning of the year,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California. “We’re seeing the lower costs to consumers bringing people to our door. We don’t want to leave anyone behind.”
The bus tour will make stops at locations throughout the state where local artists will paint murals to attract attention and promote health and wellness. A total of 16 murals will be painted at sites such as enrollment centers and community buildings.
“The ‘Covered in Art’ project is a living demonstration of the fact that health care is local and that Covered California is woven into the fabric of local communities,” Lee said.
The tour will begin with two stops in Los Angeles before heading to Palm Springs, Fresno, Modesto, Sacramento, Chico and Redding.
A recent Covered California analysis found that the net monthly premiums for enrollees who receive financial help are on average 10 percent lower than what new and renewing consumers paid last year. The lower prices are a result of more financial help being available for consumers who qualify for assistance. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is designed to protect consumers by providing more premium tax credits when premiums rise.
“With Friday’s deadline to get coverage that starts Jan. 1, we want to make sure that consumers know about the increased financial help that is available to help bring health care coverage within reach,” Lee said.
Covered California also wants consumers to know that while the enrollment deadline for most states is Dec. 15, Californians will have through Jan. 31, 2018, to explore their options and select a plan that best fits their needs. While consumers can sign up for coverage in the month of January, if they wait until then, their coverage will not start until Feb. 1 at the earliest.
Since 2014, more than 3 million people have purchased health insurance through Covered California, and nearly 4 million have enrolled in the state’s Medi-Cal program. Together, the gains have cut the rate of the uninsured in California by more than half.
Consumers interested in learning more about their coverage options should go to www.CoveredCA.com where they can get help to enroll. They can explore their options and find out if they qualify for financial help by using the Shop and Compare Tool. They can also get free and confidential enrollment assistance by visiting www.coveredca.com/find-help/ and searching among 800 storefronts statewide, or more than 17,000 certified enrollers who can assist consumers in understanding their choices and enrolling, including individuals who can assist in other languages. In addition, consumers can reach the Covered California service center by calling (800) 300-1506.
About Covered California
Covered California is the state’s health insurance marketplace, where Californians can find affordable, high-quality insurance from top insurance companies. Covered California is the only place where individuals who qualify can get financial assistance on a sliding scale to reduce premium costs. Consumers can then compare health insurance plans and choose the plan that works best for their health needs and budget. Depending on their income, some consumers may qualify for the low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal program.
Covered California is an independent part of the state government whose job is to make the health insurance marketplace 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.
