More than 58,000 buy insurance during special Covered California period amid coronavirus
Tens of thousands of Californians have signed up for health insurance through Covered California since the state-based marketplace announced a special enrollment period March 20 in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Enrollment will remain open until June 30.
“We want to remind consumers that they can get access to the care they need during this crisis, either through Covered California or Medi-Cal,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California. “We know there are hundreds of thousands of people out there who have either lost their health insurance or were uninsured when this crisis began, and we want them to know there is a path to coverage ready for them.”
Since the announcement, almost 1 million new users have visited the CoveredCA.com website, twice the number that visited at this same time last year. More than 58,400 Californians have signed up for coverage.
During this special enrollment period, state residents do not need a qualifying life event such as a job loss or new baby to sign up for insurance.
Health advocate Anthony Wright said this is an opportunity that many other U.S. residents will not get since the Trump administration has refused to open marketplaces in the 35 states where the federal government runs the insurance exchanges.
Open enrollment closed in all the marketplaces before Americans became aware that COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus, was being spread nationwide.
Wright said the special enrollment period could help even some people who already signed up for health insurance on the exchange.
“Those already in Covered California but whose income has changed should take advantage of the opportunity to re-evaluate the subsidies they may be eligible for, or to change to a different plan that might be more appropriate for their current circumstance,” he said. “Many may find they now qualify for no-cost Medi-Cal coverage, which is a lifeline for many who lost income and need coverage and care in the middle of this pandemic.”
In addition to federal subsidies, the state of California started offering subsidies this year to middle-income residents and families.
This story was originally published April 17, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
