Still Need Health Insurance? There’s Time

There has been so many conflicting reports about the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, no one could blame you if you are confused.

Do you need health insurance? Make no mistake you may still choose a health care plan that best fits you and your family, as Dr. and Democratic Congressman Raul Ruiz emphasized this week.

If you do not receive health insurance through your employer, you can compare coverage plans through Covered California and find the plan that best fits your needs from now until January 31, 2018, according to Ruiz.

Covered California is the state’s health insurance marketplace, where Californians can find affordable, high-quality insurance from top insurance companies. Covered California is the only place where individuals who qualify can get financial assistance on a sliding scale to reduce premium costs. Consumers can then compare health insurance plans and choose the plan that works best for their health needs and budget. Depending on their income, some consumers may qualify for the low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal program.

During three days last week, Covered California saw more than 38,000 new consumers sign up for coverage, which means that as of Dec. 13 more than 182,000 new consumers had signed up for coverage since open enrollment began. Compared to the same time last year, when 156,000 had signed up, this enrollment marks an increase of 26,000, or 17 percent. Many of these new members are taking advantage of the fact that the cost of coverage is lower than it was last year for most consumers.

A recent Covered California analysis found that the net monthly premiums for enrollees who receive financial help are on average 10 percent lower than what new and renewing consumers paid last year. The lower prices are a result of more financial help being available for consumers who qualify for assistance.

To sign up, you can call Covered California’s Service Center at (800) 300-1506. You can also apply online HERE, or have a certified enroller contact you through the ‘Help on Demand’ feature.

If you have any questions, click here to get free, confidential assistance from one of the more than 20,000 certified agents and enrollers throughout California who stand ready to assist you. You can also feel free to contact Ruiz’s office at (760) 424-8888.

“Although my office is prohibited from directly enrolling individuals in health insurance plans, we are happy to help connect you with free, confidential, and expert resources in our community,” Ruiz said in a prepared statement.