County Reminds Redwood City Residents of Looming Health Insurance Deadline

The following is a news release from the San Mateo County Health System:

February 15 is the deadline to sign up for health insurance through Covered California, the State’s health plan marketplace under the Affordable Care Act. With the February 15 deadline fast approaching, a network of agencies, community organizations, and hundreds of individuals across San Mateo County are partnering to help every uninsured resident have access to quality, affordable health insurance.

Residents who do not enroll by February 15 may have to wait until January 2016 to gain access to affordable health coverage and financial assistance. Applying for coverage also helps people avoid having to pay a federal tax penalty, which will increase next year.

With fewer than four weeks remaining to meet the February 15 deadline, there are still 30,000 people in the County who are eligible for health insurance who have not yet enrolled. Most of the 55,000 people who enrolled during and after the 2014 open enrollment were encouraged to do so by a family member, friend, or physician.

“We encourage everyone who needs affordable health insurance to sign up and gain peace of mind that they are covered when they may need it most,” said Srija Srinivasan, San Mateo County Health System Director of Strategic Operations. “Many people who are eligible to enroll are not aware that they qualify for financial assistance. We are available to help on the phone and in-person to find the best coverage plan at the most affordable rate for each individual and family member. Residents may also apply online at www.CoveredCA.com at any time of day through February 15.”

There are multiple enrollment events scheduled throughout the County over the next four weeks, along with extended enrollment hours at existing drop-in enrollments sites that can be found at www.smchealth.org/CoveredCA. Over 60 local certified enrollment staff are ready to help San Mateo County residents sign up in Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Tongan, and English.

A list of enrollment locations and times as well as the languages spoken at each center is available at www.smcgov.org/healthcoverage. Local in-person enrollment assistance is available by calling (650) 616-2002 or 1 (800) 223-8383. San Mateo County residents can also enroll directly through Covered California’s website: www.CoveredCA.com.

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