You may have heard in the news recently about all of the problems there have been with the government-run health insurance site. You might have experienced some of these issues firsthand when trying to learn more about your available options, plans and rates, and trying to sign up for insurance coverage. However, you do have other options, other than the government site, to obtain access to this information, like using our site at Coverage California.
In California, you are able to access our health insurance exchange, which provides you details about both government-sponsored plans and those offered through traditional insurance carriers, like Anthem Blue Cross of California, Blue Shield of California, and Kaiser Permanente. Using the exchange is free and makes it easier to sign up for coverage. In fact, we are able to help answer your questions and concerns, and assist you in comparing multiple plans from several providers.
Because you are required to have health insurance coverage under the Affordable Health Care Act by January 1, 2014, you need to act now, rather than wait. Even though the open enrollment period is through March 31, 2014, you can be charged a penalty for not having coverage starting on the 1st of the year. If you already have your own insurance coverage, in most cases, there is nothing you need to do. However, it is still worthwhile to compare your current costs and what benefits your plan provides to the new plans. You could discover your current plan does not include all 10 essential health benefits, or you are paying more than 9.5 percent of your income, and might qualify for a less expensive plan, with better coverage.