123,000-plus sign up so far to get health coverage in special Covered California enrollment
More than 123,000 state residents have signed up for insurance coverage through Covered California as part of a special enrollment period launched March 20 amid a surge in cases of COVID-19.
“When the worst is happening in people’s personal economic lives, we want to make sure that Californians know they can have the peace of mind that comes with quality health care coverage,” said Peter V. Lee, the executive director of Covered California. “Whether Californians have lost job-based health insurance coverage, or they were uninsured when this pandemic began, our doors are wide open to help them get coverage through either Covered California or Medi-Cal.”
Millions of people have lost their jobs and the employer-sponsored health insurance that came along with it as layoffs mounted when businesses were forced to close during the stay-home orders. If you purchased your own insurance policy but have since lost your job, go to coveredca.com to determine whether you are now eligible for greater financial assistance. The state of California started offering subsidies this year.
The special enrollment period will close June 30. Since Jan. 31, when Covered California ended its open-enrollment period, 191,380 people had signed up for coverage as of May 16. That is nearly two times the number who enrolled in the same period a year earlier.
As of this year, Californians are required to show proof of health insurance. If they do not have it, they will face a penalty when they file their 2020 state income taxes.
Lee noted that consumers can call 800-300-1506 to get help with enrollment and that the Covered California has help features where applicants can request assistance free of charge from a certified agent.
“In this time of social distancing, people should know that health insurance is only a phone call away,” Lee said. “Consumers can get free and confidential assistance from certified agents or one of Covered California’s trained professionals while remaining safe and protecting themselves and their families.”
Covered California, the state’s health insurance marketplace, offers financial assistance to qualified individuals on a sliding scale to reduce premium costs, but even insurance policies sold on the state’s individual marketplace have the same features and protections as a Covered California policy.
This story was originally published May 21, 2020 at 3:48 PM.
