What You Need to Know About Covered California Enrollment

What You Need to Know About Covered California Enrollment

If you need health insurance in California, the Covered California system may be what you’re looking for.  Covered California is CA’s own implementation of the Affordable Care Act (aka “Obamacare”), allowing Californians access to the health insurance they need at prices that are tuned to be affordable to the largest number of people possible.

Here are some of the most important things to know about Covered California enrollment, and about the plans and policies.

I. What is covered by Covered California policies?

As part of the Affordable Care Act, Covered California is required to cover certain services.  These include emergency and urgent care, ambulance services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, psychiatry, and other mental health services, and substance abuse assistance.

In addition, while not required under law, Covered California policies can also include vision and dental policies, especially for children.  Adults also have the option of adding dental and visual supplementary care.

II. What does Covered California cost?

The price of Covered California coverage can vary greatly depending on the size of the household and the exact type of plan selected.  An average for an individual could be around $300-$400/mo, while a family averaged a little over $1,000.

However, don’t worry if these prices seem high.  There are numerous subsidies and public assistance programs available for households having trouble paying for coverage.  A good California health insurance agent can help you find all the discounts you need.

III. What coverage options are available?

Because health insurance can be so complicated, Covered California deliberately keeps its plans as simple and straightforward as possible.  This makes Covered California enrollment and ongoing plan maintenance easier than if you were buying insurance directly.  These plans are broken down based on the percentage paid by the insurer vs the consumer.

• Bronze:  The insurer pays 60% of costs, while the consumer pays the other 40%.
• Silver:  Insurance pays 70%, the consumer pays 30%.
• Gold: Insurance pays 80%, the consumer pays 20%.
• Platinum: Insurance pays 90% of costs, while the consumer only pays 10%.

Of course, the cost of the plan will go up accordingly.

In addition, there’s a “minimum coverage” plan specifically for consumers under 30 who cannot afford better coverage.  It covers three visits and preventative care.   Services up to $7,150 are paid by the consumer, and then the insurer pays everything else.

Covered California Enrollment & More

Good & Associates can help you with your Covered California enrollment and find the best plans for your needs and budget.  Contact us to learn more!