Covered California allows Golden State residents and small businesses to shop for health insurance providers. Covered California offers state healthcare administration and assistance, including an online health marketplace like ACA Health Insurance Marketplace. The types of health insurance pr🅰ovided for adults and 𝔍children include:

• Health insurance 
• Medi-Cal, for low-income Californians
• Dental coverage
• Vision coverage

Learn more about how Covered California works, including enrollment periods, discounts, qual💖ifications, and penalties.  

How Covered California Works 

Covered California offers plans from all of the top health insurers active in the state. Federal law requires Covered California plans to offer essential health benefits. These plans are t🗹he same as the plans available outside of the marketplace.

“Some Californians have a misconception that Covered California is ‘government insurance,' or they would be getting a lesser health plan, which is completely false,” Craig Tomiyoshi, deputy director of communications at Covered California said. 

Enrollment Periods

Any Californian can enroll in Covered California between Nov. 1 and Jan. 31 each year. However, coverage doesn’t start right away. After you choose a plan, the plan begins on the first day of the following month.

Outside of the open enrollment period, Covered California offers an extremely comprehensive list of more than two dozen life events that could qualify you for a special enrollment period, including:

• Administrative: Incomplete application due to time; misinformation from an agent.
• Economic: Income less than 150% federal poverty level; paid the tax penalty for no health insurance; newly qualifying for health insurance stipend.
• Emergencies: Affected by public health emergency or wildfires or another public state of emergency.
• Life event: Had, adopted, or fostered a child; got married or are in a domestic partnership; lost or will soon lose health insurance.
• Location: Permanently moved to or within California; gained citizenship; returned from active-duty service.

Unfortunately, you aren’t eligible for coverage until your employer-sponsored plan expires. If you experience a sudden job and benefits loss, you could have a gap between when you sign up for Covered California insurance and when coverage begins. If so, consider 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:COBRA coverage after🎃 t൩ermination if your employer offers it. 

Discounts

Many Californians who are uninsured said the main reason they don't have insurance is because of the cost, Tomiyoshi said. Covered California, now in its eleventh year, has undergone substantive changes to make the program more affordable, he said.

“More financial help is available for more Californians than ever before to help them get health coverage,” he said. “The increased federal subsidies through the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Inflation Reduction Act combined wiꦛth California’s new Cost-Sharing Reduction program will help reduce out-of-pocket costs for many Covered Cali🀅fornia members.”

Almost 90% of Covered California’s enrollees get financial help. Covered California allows applicants to qualify for help paying for health plans or enrolling in Medi-Cal, California's version of Medicaid.

Discounts include: 

• The Premium Tax Credit: Either lowers your monthly premium cost or offers 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:a tax credit when you file taxes. Around 20% of enrollees benefit from $0 premiums. 
• Cost-sharing reductions: Reduces your deductible, copays, and coinsurance if you earn 250% or less of the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Federal Poverty Level. The federal poverty level depends on your household size and income. More than 650,000 enrollees qualify for unique plans with these reductions.

Covered California subsidies kick in at an income of up to $33,975 for a single person and $69,375 for a family of four in 2024. 

Penalties

Although health insurance 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:isn’t mandatory🅰 at the federal level, California requires state residents to have health insurance. Otherwise, they may pay a hefty penalty when filing state tax returns. For 2024, the penalty is $900 per adult and $450 per dependent child under 18 living in the household.

Covered California offers tax penalty exemptions, but only in limited situations: 

• Hardship: Such a bankruptcy, natural disaster, eviction, and other life circumstances.
• Affordability hardship: The lowest-cost plan available costs more than 8.17% of your 2023 household income.
• Religious conscience: Your faith doesn’t allow medical healing or acceptance of public health benefits.

You may also b🐓e able to claim some exemptions when you file your state tax return.

Types of Covered California Plans 

Like other ACA plans, Covered California plans may be offered as 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:he🐽alth maintenance organization🎀s (HMOs), 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查𝄹询:preferred provider organizations (PPOs), and 澳洲幸运5开奖🤪号码历史查询:exclus🅺ive provider organizations (EPOs). Covered California offers plans from 12 companies. Not all plans are available in all locations, but 92% of Californians can choose from four or more carriers.

Also, like ACA plans, Covered California health insurance plans come in 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:four tiers. However there are some differences, particularly around cost-sharing reduction plans: 

High-Deductible Bronze Plans

High-Deductible Bronze Plans allow enrollees to open a 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:health savings account (HSA). The plans are a good fit for those who want to save in a tax-advantaged account and think they’ll use fewer non-preventive medical services. 

Silver Enhanced Cost Sharing Reduction Plans

These California-only plans offer more benefits for lower out-of-pocket costs, including $0 deductibles. They’re only available to households at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level. 

Catastrophic Plans

A minimum coverage plan (also known as a catastrophic plan) is typically only available to those 30 or younger. However, Covered California only sells these plans to adults under age 30.

Adults 30 and older must apply for an affordability or general hardship exemption. You apply for a general hardship exemption through Covered California for approval and an Exemption Certificate Number (ECN). Then, you buy a catastrophic plan directly ꧂f💙rom an insurance company.

💦 “Covered California encourages consumers interested in a catastrophic plan to consider a Bronze plan instead,” Tomiyoshi said. “The premium costs are often similar, and deductibles are usuওally lower on a Bronze plan. Bronze plans are available to everyone without needing an exemption.”

Requirements for Covered California

All U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and noncitizens residing in California can apply for health care through Covered California if lawfully present. But you’re not lawfully present in California, you can use CoveredCA.com to se🅘e if you qualify for Medi-Cal.

You cannot buy a plan through Covered California if you have Medicare. You also can’t buy 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Medicare Advantage or 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Medicare Supplement plans through Covered California. 

History of Covered California

In 2010, the federal 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Patien🎀t Protection and A🌳ffordable Care Act (ACA), also known as “Obamacꦅare,” created a series of health care protections and rights, including the ability for states to create their own health insurance marke🧸tplaces. California was the first in the nation to offer its own health insurance marketplace, by creating Covered California.

Covered California appears to be a success. Those who were uninsured for a year or more dropped from almost 13% in 2015 to 4.5% in 2022, according to data released in late 2023.   

How to Get Covered California

You can compare plans and 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:insurance pricing, then buy online at . Or you can get help from a licensed insurance agent or ce𝐆rtified enrollment counselor in person or by♓ calling 800-300-1506.

The online application process takes about an hour. You can choose to pay online after choosing a plan, or get billed🔯 by the insurer after it receives your applicꦚation. Your insurance card is mailed to you. 

The Bottom Line

Applying for health insurance through Covered California can help you get affordable coverage for yourself and your family. This health insurance protects against a 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:personal financial crisis resulting from unexpected medical bills.

Covered California insurance plans also offer preventive care to keep you and your family healthy now and long into the future. Investigate options to discover a plan that fits your budget and lifestyle while benefiting from any insurance discounts that might apply if you qualify.