With Deadline Looming, Fewer Than 8,000 Have Signed Up for Insurance on the Central Coast

From Covered California:

Covered California™ and the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) announced today that from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30, as a benefit of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, an estimated 15,602 individuals in six Central Coast counties started applications for Covered California health insurance plans. 

Cumulatively, 7,869 individuals in Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties have enrolled in subsidized or non-subsidized Covered California health insurance plans, which reflects about 7 percent of the statewide enrollment (the counties make up 6 percent of those eligible for subsidies statewide). These counties encompass Covered California pricing regions 9 and 12.

“Central Coast counties are important to our success,” Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee said. “While it is good news that so many who live in those counties have signed up, Californians all have one more week — until Dec. 23 — to enroll for coverage taking effect Jan. 1.”

Last week Covered California and DHCS released statewide figures showing that applications were started for an estimated 777,000 individuals between Oct. 1 and Nov. 30.

For the two-month period statewide, 109,296 individuals enrolled in Covered California health insurance plans. For the same period, 179,000 were determined to be likely eligible for Medi-Cal.

Other facts about the Central Coast counties’ enrollment figures:

·      Nearly all of the consumers chose one of the four health insurance carriers that have traditionally been the largest in the individual market: Blue Shield of California (regions 9 and 12), Anthem Blue Cross of California (regions 9 and 12), Kaiser Permanente (region 12) and Health Net (region 9).

·      For the individuals who were eligible for subsidies, the great majority (68 percent) selected the “Silver” level of benefits, which is the level at which the federal premium assistance is targeted. Those who are not eligible for subsidies were more likely to buy across the spectrum of levels of coverage.

Dec. 23 is the deadline for consumers to enroll for health insurance coverage taking effect Jan. 1, 2014, but Lee pointed out that consumers can continue enrolling in Covered California plans through March 31, 2014. Medi-Cal enrollment is continuous throughout the year.

Lee also reminded consumers of the many paths they can take to enroll in Covered California health insurance plans and in Medi-Cal, including meeting in person with thousands of trained Certified Insurance Agents, Certified Enrollment Counselors and county eligibility workers, who can provide assistance with completing applications. Consumers can find the nearest in-person help on CoveredCA.com. Additionally, self-enrollment is available online, and enrollment can be completed over the phone by calling Covered California’s Service Center at (800) 300-1506.