Covered California Making Push For Uninsured To Enroll
India-West Staff Reporter
SACRAMENTO, CA — Covered California was joined by Secretary Xavier Becerra of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on October 29 at the historic California State Library here to help kick off the 2025 open-enrollment period. Open enrollment — which begins on November 1 and runs through January 31, 2025 — is when Californians can sign up for, renew or shop for a new health insurance plan.
This is the 12th open-enrollment period under Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which has helped provide health insurance to tens of millions of Americans. Currently, over 21 million people across the country are currently insured through an Affordable Care Act health plan.
In California, over 5.9 million Californians have had health insurance through Covered California since the exchange opened its doors in 2014, including a record-high nearly 1.8 million who are currently enrolled.
As a Sacramento native, Secretary Becerra knows the impact the Affordable Care Act has had on his home state and across the nation. “Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, more people in America have health insurance now than ever before — and the peace of mind that comes with it,” Secretary Becerra said. “That is thanks to the Affordable Care Act, which, along with Social Security and Medicare, is one of the most consequential social programs in the history of our nation. Starting Nov.1, all Americans — including, for the first time ever, DACA recipients — can shop for a new plan in the Affordable Care Act marketplace to make sure they get the best coverage at the best price.”
This is the 12th open-enrollment period under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which has helped provide health insurance to tens of millions of Americans and now features increased and expanded financial help for consumers through the Inflation Reduction Act. California’s enhanced cost-sharing reduction program, which will be available to all Covered California enrollees in 2025, is making coverage even more affordable for Californians.
“In California, we are maximizing the Affordable Care Act by providing greater access to coverage and quality care to more Californians,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “Reducing out-of-pocket costs for millions of Californians is an important step in creating a healthier California for all.”
Covered California will begin this open enrollment with record-high enrollees and the state’s lowest uninsured rate on record. The “Let’s Talk Health” campaign will focus on health literacy with the goal of simplifying the process of getting covered, removing a known barrier to reaching California’s remaining uninsured, including those newly eligible for Covered California.
Uninsured at all time low
Open enrollment begins with a record-low uninsured rate of 6.4 percent among Californians, according to federal data. Since Covered California’s first open-enrollment period in 2013, California’s uninsured rate has fallen from 17.2 percent to 6.4 percent in 2023, which is the largest percentage point drop for any state in the nation during the Affordable Care Act era.
But the latest data from the California Simulation of Insurance Markets (CalSIM), a model created by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, also shows that significant gaps remain between those with and without insurance. CalSIM estimates that there are nearly 1.3 million uninsured Californians who either qualify for subsidies through Covered California (591,000) or are eligible for Medi-Cal coverage (675,000), and they reside all over the state.
“Let’s Talk Health” Literacy Campaign
Research shows that many Californians don’t understand what Covered California actually does, how health insurance works or how to maximize their plan benefits. This lack of health literacy can contribute to individuals not signing up for health care coverage.
To promote health literacy and provide consumers with more information, Covered California’s “Let’s Talk Health” campaign includes a suite of new materials that reflect cultural insights and more simplified language to demystify health insurance and provide information to consumers who have questions about the basics. Through a partnership with health literacy expert Dr. Dean-David Schillinger of University of California, San Francisco, Covered California is maximizing evidence-based approaches to support consumer education.
“We want to simplify the complex and confusing so everyone can speak the language of health — regardless of their language, ethnicity, geography or income,” Altman said. “This understanding will help all consumers feel empowered to enroll and start using their coverage.”
Covered California is powering the campaign and expanding the reach of its new educational resources through a partnership with the California State Library and local libraries across California. Libraries will house newly created in-language and culturally resonant resources and host educational workshops for consumers to ask questions, learn about health insurance as well as the difference between Medi-Cal, Covered California and other insurance options.
Signing Up for Coverage Is Easy
Consumers can learn more about their options by visiting CoveredCA.com, where they can easily find out if they qualify for financial help and see the coverage options in their area. Those interested in learning more about their coverage options can also:
- Get free and confidential assistance over the phone, in a variety of languages, from one of more than 14,000 certified agents and community-based organizations throughout the state that provide free, confidential help in whatever language or dialect consumers prefer.
- Have a certified enroller call them.
- Call Covered California at (800) 300-1506.
The deadline to select a health plan and have coverage for all of 2025 is December 31.
For more information about Covered California, please visit www.CoveredCA.com.
