SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California Board Chair Diana Dooley on Tuesday thanked two departing members of the Board of Directors and welcomed two new members appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to oversee the agency.
Dr. Sandra Hernandez and Jerry Fleming will serve on the board, taking the places of Marty Morgenstern and Genoveva Islas, who have served since 2015.
Dooley said Morgenstern and Islas will be missed.
“We want to thank both Marty and Veva for the time and effort they have devoted to helping Covered California build an organization that has helped millions of people get affordable health care,” said Dooley. “They both have served the people of California with dedication and a steadfast commitment to putting the needs of consumers first.”
Today, Gov. Brown appointed (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2018/02/13/governor-brown-announces-appointments-13/) Sandra Hernandez and Jerry Fleming to serve on Covered California’s board.
Hernandez and Fleming will join Dooley, Paul Fearer and Art Torres as members of Covered California’s Board of Directors.
Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California, said the organization is grateful for the leadership of the departing board members.
“Marty and Veva joined us right after our second open-enrollment period, and their expertise and commitment helped Covered California maintain its momentum and strength,” Lee said. “We want to thank them for everything they have done.”
“We also look forward to welcoming Jerry Fleming and Sandra Hernandez, who bring not only broad and deep expertise in health care, but also tremendous insight into how to ensure Covered California continues to reach and effectively serve the rich diversity of California’s population,” Lee said.
Since 2014, more than 3.4 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 from 17 percent in 2013 to a historic low of 6.8 percent as of June 2017.
Consumers can still sign up for health care coverage if they experience a life-changing event, such as losing their health insurance, getting married, having a child or moving. For more information on special-enrollment rules, visit: www.CoveredCA.com/individuals-and-families/getting-covered/special-enrollment.
Eligible consumers who are interested in signing up 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.
Consumers who qualify for Medi-Cal can enroll year-round.
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.
