Covered California Enrollment Underway

Residents who want health insurance through Covered California started signing up for the service on Saturday.

The deadline to begin coverage on Jan. 15, 2015, is Dec. 15, which is also the deadline to renew or change existing Covered California health insurance and maintain continuous coverage and avoid paying a tax penalty, according to state officials.

The deadline to enroll in Covered California health coverage in 2015 is Feb. 15, 2015, which is also the deadline to apply for financial assistance.

State officials, led by Covered California executive director Peter Lee, embarked on a 21-city bus tour, to spread the word about the opportunity for residents to sign up for affordable health insurance.

During the three-month window of time from Saturday to Feb. 15, Californians who need insurance cannot be turned away by health insurance companies.

“In communities of all sizes in our state, we will share the stories of real people who have benefited from the care and coverage they have obtained and encourage those without insurance to get covered,” Lee said in a statement.

Preliminary enrollment numbers indicated more than 625,000 California residents signed up for health insurance through Covered California during the 2013 enrollment period.

Of those, roughly a quarter, or 163,512 consumers, in the San Francisco Bay Area enrolled in health insurance plans.

“We’re encouraged by the outpouring of interest and participation in the state insurance exchange,” Lee said.

Of the residents who signed up for health insurance, about 85 percent received some form of subsidy, state officials said.

Most consumers, or 61 percent, signed up for the “Silver plan,” the second lowest cost of the four plans.

Anthem Blue Cross of California, Blue Shield of California, Kaiser Permanente and Health Net accounted for 96 percent of the total enrollment plans, state officials said.

Visit http://coveredca.com/ for more information.

--Bay City News