More and more People are Purchasing Medical Insurance in California
Everyone wants to stay healthy for the rest of their lives. They change their lifestyle, diet, take part in exercise programs, take vitamins, and so on to ensure that they keep healthy at all times. Illnesses, however, can still strike at any time and people must be ready for when this happens. This is one of the reasons why you need medical insurance in California and elsewhere.
According to the LA Times, “The number of Californians buying individual health insurance soared 64% to nearly 2.2 million as Obamacare took full effect last year, a new report shows.” As of December 31, 2014, an astounding 843,607 people bought individual insurance both inside and outside the Covered California insurance exchange.
Obamacare, or the Affordable Care Act (ACA), triggered a major change in health insurance by assuring that people would get coverage regardless of their medical conditions and providing financial subsidies to those who have lower income. In addition to that, the healthcare law requires most Americans to purchase health insurance or face a penalty charge. Covered California has about 1.4 million people enrolled, while others get their coverage from their employers or have California Medicare supplemental insurance.
Covered California makes it more affordable for people to get quality health insurance that can’t be denied or canceled in case there is a pre-existing medical condition or if a person gets sick. All insurance plans cover the essential health benefits like prescriptions, hospitalization, doctor visits, maternity care, pediatric care and emergency care.
Health insurance is essential for everyone because they never know when an injury or serious illness can happen. Even those who claim to be healthy would still need it because they still need to get checkups, preventive care, and chronic disease management. It’s important to keep tabs on health, so it’s best to have an insurance plan in place for your own peace of mind.
Open enrollment for Covered California plans happens once a year and after that, people can only enroll if they meet certain conditions. On the other hand, Medi-Cal is open year-round. Those who need help with their insurance plans can get in touch with companies like Good and Associates Insurance Services that provides helpful information to anyone and are certified partners with Covered California.
Sources:
California’s individual health insurance market grows 64% to 2.2 million, The LA Times, April 29, 2015
Why Do You Need Health Insurance? U.S. News Health, August 16, 2013
