Residents of the state were able to begin using the service over the weekend in order to purchase their health plans.
Covered California has once again opened its doors for residents of the state who are seeking to purchase their health insurance plans in order to comply with the requirements of the Affordable Care Act as it enters into its second round of open enrollment.
The deadline for coverage to start, change or renew on January 15, 2015 is going to be December 15, 2014.
This means that Californians now have the opportunity to review their health insurance requirements and make sure that their needs are being met by their current plans, to purchase coverage for the first time, or to change their policies to one that will better suit their needs. Next year, the deadline for enrolling in coverage and for applying for financial assistance through Covered California is February 15, 2015.
There has been a widespread health insurance enrollment marketing campaign launched in the state.
Officials in the state, led by Peter Lee, the executive director of Covered California, have launched a bus tour that will span 21 cities. It is designed to help to spread awareness with regards to the various opportunities that residents have in order to enroll in health plans by way of the state’ insurance exchange.
The tour started during the week before the open enrollment began. During this time, insurance companies cannot turn down Californians who are purchasing their health plans in order to comply with the requirements of the Affordable Care Act. It is also the time in which many residents of the state will qualify for subsidies from the federal government in order to assist them in paying for their insurance policies.
Lee released a statement that explained that “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.”
During the 2013 enrollment period, it is estimated that 625,000 people in California signed up for health insurance through the exchange.