October 31, 2017
As Open Enrollment Approaches, Covered California Announces Lower Prices for Most Enrollees in 2018
READ TIME: 4 MIN.
Covered California will kick off open enrollment Wednesday with the launch of a new comprehensive marketing and outreach campaign as well as upgrades to the consumer shopping experience for those seeking health insurance.
"While we know there is confusion because of the uncertainty in Washington, we want people to know that Covered California is rock solid," said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California. "We're offering stability, choice and affordable options in 2018 in the face of uncertainty in much of the country."
Open enrollment is the one time of year when anyone who needs health insurance can enroll without needing to meet special qualifying conditions. Covered California's open-enrollment period will continue for three months, while open enrollment in 42 other states will end on Dec. 15.
"While we encourage all consumers to sign up by Dec. 15 to get coverage that starts on Jan. 1, we will continue with open enrollment through Jan. 31 to give our consumers time to explore their options, change plans if they need to and shop for the health coverage that's right for them," Lee said.
A new analysis by Covered California shows the importance of going to http://www.CoveredCA.com to shop and compare, because some changes in 2018 rates may work in the consumer's favor.
"For the 1.1 million Californians who enroll with us and get financial help, on average the price they pay will actually go down -- even though their underlying rate is going up," Lee said. "And Californians who are uninsured need to see if they, too, can get great coverage that costs them only a small fraction of the health plan's regular rate."
The analysis looked at the real-world impact on the price consumers will pay after the cost-sharing reduction (CSR) surcharge, which will increase the amount of financial help available to consumers.
Among the findings from the analysis:
The complete analysis can be found here.
Research commissioned by Covered California this summer indicates that consumers are very familiar with Covered California, with 96 percent of those surveyed having heard about Covered California and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. However, there is some concern about the future due to ongoing discussions at the federal level.
"The distant thunder in Washington is causing concern among Californians," Lee said. "We want to make sure they know Covered California is stable, offering the same quality coverage in 2018 that we have offered since we opened our doors in 2014."
In an effort to carry that message to Californians, Covered California will launch its new statewide advertising campaign on Wednesday with the message "Life can change in an instant" to drive home the message that anyone can find themselves suddenly needing health insurance.
"We all know someone who was suddenly injured or who received an unexpected diagnosis. Our new ads show incidents Californians can relate to -- cutting your hand in the kitchen, slipping on stairs or falling off a ladder -- to drive home the value of health insurance," Lee said.
The ads were shot with the help of actors wearing helmet cameras to capture the incident from the viewer's first-person perspective.
The advertising campaign, which includes ads in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean and Vietnamese, can be viewed here: https://vimeopro.com/coveredcanews/instant-tv.
In addition to television, the campaign message is also integrated in all advertising mediums, including radio digital, out-of-home (billboards, bus shelters and convenience store posters) and print advertisements, all of which promote the need for and value of having health insurance, as well as tailored messages reminding Californians how to sign up for coverage.
On Wednesday, Covered California will begin a bus tour to promote open enrollment across the state, with stops at enrollment locations where murals will be painted during open enrollment to promote health and draw attention to locations where individuals can enroll in coverage and get the care they need.
"Covered California is part of the fabric of California in communities all across the state, and community art is increasingly part of that fabric as well," Lee said.
All artwork is consistent with local city ordinances and reflects the communities and activities of the diverse people of California, promoting health and attracting attention to locations where individuals can enroll.
Lee said shopping and enrolling in coverage is easier than ever this year due to upgrades to the online experience:
The upgrades and new advertising begin as Covered California starts its fifth open-enrollment period with current membership of about 1.3 million enrollees.
Since 2014, more than 3 million people have purchased health insurance through Covered California, and nearly 4 million have enrolled in the state's Medi-Cal program. Together, the gains have cut the rate of the uninsured in California by more than half.
