Op-Ed and Newsletter Guidance

    Help get the word out to constituents in your district about Covered California’s open enrollment period by writing an op-ed for your local newspaper or issuing an article in your newsletter! Below is messaging guidance and resources that may assist. If you issue a newsletter or place an op-ed with this information, we would love to hear about it. You can keep us updated by sending a copy to: externalaffairs@covered.ca.gov.

    Key messaging points:

    Covered California is open for business!

    • Open enrollment begins November 1, 2017 and runs to January 31, 2018.
    • Despite all the news about health care discussions in Washington D.C., consumers should know that Covered California is open for business and ready to help consumers get affordable and high-quality health coverage.
    • With approximately 1.4 million Californians1 enrolled in a Covered California health insurance plan, Covered California is one of the largest and most stable health insurance marketplaces in the nation. Since opening its doors in 2014, Covered California has insured more than 3 million Californians at one point or another.
    • Covered California will continue to provide a stable, competitive marketplace to the benefit of consumers. Covered California still has 11 health insurance companies that provide coverage for consumers in 2018.2
      • 82 percent of consumers will be able to choose from three or more health insurance companies.
      • 95 percent of consumers will have at least two health insurance companies to choose from.
      • While all of Covered California’s health insurance companies are returning in 2018, Anthem and Health Net will withdraw from some areas in the state. Consumers who are currently enrolled in Anthem or Health Net will need to switch plans in order to maintain their coverage next year. These consumers will hear from Covered California, and should make sure to shop for and compare the plans available to them in order to find the best value for them.
    • Rates are stable moving into 2018, and most consumers can save money on their monthly premiums by shopping and switching coverage to a less-expensive plan if it works for them.
    • Covered California offers a “Shop and Compare Tool” at www.coveredca.com so consumers can compare their coverage options when renewing or newly enrolling into coverage next year.
    • Consumers can also choose for the plan that includes their doctor and hospital. They can use the “Shop and Compare Tool” to make sure the plan they choose includes them.

    Financial assistance is available to help keep coverage affordable!

    • Recent research shows that while the vast majority of consumers know about Covered California, many who are eligible for financial assistance do not know it.
    • Covered California is the only place where eligible consumers can get financial assistance to help pay for their health insurance.
    • Nearly 90 percent of Covered California enrollees receive federal financial assistance to help them pay their monthly premiums. On average, the subsidy covers approximately 70 percent of an eligible consumer’s monthly premium.
    • Financial help means that in 2018, nearly 60 percent of eligible consumers will have access to Silver-level coverage for less than $100 per month — the same as it was in 2017 — and 74 percent can purchase Bronze-level coverage for less than $10 per month.
    • About half of Covered California consumers are also eligible for financial assistance that reduces their out-of-pocket costs, through lower copays and deductibles, when they seek care. These are called “cost-sharing reductions” which help make health care even more affordable.

    Most consumers are protected from elimination of federal funding for cost-sharing reductions.

    • You may have heard a lot in the news lately about the federal administration ending payments to insurance companies to reimburse them for cost-sharing reductions. Californians can rest assured that they will continue to have access to affordable, high quality coverage through Covered California and that this benefit is still available to them.
    • That is because Covered California planned ahead to protect consumers from higher rates resulting from the elimination of federal funding for cost-sharing reductions. A cost-sharing reduction “surcharge” will fund cost-sharing reductions in the absence of federal funding.
    • The “surcharge” will be added to the monthly premium to cover the cost of the cost-sharing reduction program. However, the surcharge is structured in a way that protects most consumers from having to pay it:
      • Most Covered California consumers will be protected from the added surcharge because the amount of financial assistance they receive will also rise. This means that most consumers who receive this financial assistance will not see a significant change in what they pay for their insurance.
      • Consumers who do not qualify for financial assistance to pay their premiums will also be protected from the surcharge. They can switch their plan, or they can purchase a plan outside of Covered California that has nearly identical benefits, but does not include the cost-sharing reduction surcharge in the premium rate.
    • Consumers who need coverage next year should check with Covered California to see if they are eligible for financial assistance that can bring health coverage within financial reach. Consumers can quickly and easily use Covered California’s Shop and Compare Tool at www.coveredca.com to see if they may qualify for financial help.

    Covered California benefit designs promote value and access to care.

    • Additionally, Covered California’s health insurance plans help ensure that consumers can get the health care they need when they need it by increasing the number of services that are not subject to a deductible. This means that consumers in Silver, Gold or Platinum plans can receive some or all outpatient services, including primary care visits, specialist visits, lab tests, X-rays and imaging without having to pay their deductible first.
    • Even consumers in Covered California’s most affordable plan – Bronze - are allowed to see their doctor or a specialist three times before the visits are subject to the deductible.

    Open Enrollment runs from November 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018

    • Despite what consumers may have heard happening in other states or on the national level, Covered California’s open-enrollment period starts on Nov. 1, 2017 and continues through Jan. 31, 2018.
    • Unlike much of the rest of the nation – which will close open enrollment on December 15th, Covered California will be open until the end of January.
    • But, consumers should know that signing up by December 15th is the best thing to do, because that is the deadline to get coverage that starts on January 1st.
    • Throughout the open enrollment period, Covered California will undertake a significant marketing and outreach campaign to promote enrollment and make sure consumers have the information and tools they need to make the best coverage decisions for themselves and their families.
    • Covered California also partners with thousands of certified insurance agents and enrollers across the state who stand ready to help inform consumers about their coverage options.
    • If you or your family need health insurance coverage, this is the time to sign up!
    • If you, your family members or friends need health coverage, they can get free, confidential assistance from one of the more than 20,000 certified agents and enrollers throughout California who are ready to help them enroll. You can find confidential in-person help from a Certified Insurance Agent, Certified Enrollment Counselor or a county eligibility worker at http://www.coveredca.com/get-help/local/. You can also sign up by calling Covered California’s Service Center at (800) 300-1506, applying online at www.CoveredCA.com,or have a certified enroller contact them through the “Help on Demand” feature.

    1As of March 2017, Covered California had 1.386 million members who had active health insurance. See Active Member Profiles at: http://hbex.coveredca.com/data-research/

    2Health insurance company availability varies depending on where consumers live. See 2018 products by region, county and zip code at: http://hbex.coveredca.com/data-research/

    Press releases:

    Covered California’s recent press releases can be used for framing talking points within the op-eds. To find the most recent releases please visit: http://www.coveredca.com/news/

    Real Stories:

    Share Covered California’s stories of individuals that were helped by enrolling in Covered California coverage: https://www.coveredca.com/real-stories/

    Data:

    Data & Research Portal: http://hbex.coveredca.com/data-research/

    Active Member Profile: Covered California posts data on the “Active Member Profile” which includes enrollment data up to March 2017. The enrollment data is broken down by county, zip code, product, issuer and ethnicity, and other categories: http://hbex.coveredca.com/dataresearch/library/active-member-profiles/6-16-17/CC_Membership_Profile_2017_03.xlsx

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