September 30, 2013

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Announces New Affordable Health Insurance Options Begin Today for Millions of Californians

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  October 1, 2013
Contact: Katherine Jolly (510) 763-0370

 

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement to kickoff Covered California's Open Enrollment period. Covered California California’s health insurance marketplace that will provide Californians and small businesses with quality, affordable health coverage options from major health insurance carriers under the Affordable Care Act.

“Today is the day! Starting today, Covered California is open for business! Covered California provides a very simple way to get quality, affordable health insurance: you can shop for, compare, and purchase affordable, quality health insurance plans based on your income, all of which will be explained in easy-to-understand language.  It is estimated that substantially more than half of those shopping in Covered California's marketplace will qualify for financial help, making the monthly premiums more affordable.

"Today’s beginning of the Open Enrollment period is but one more step in the Affordable Care Act. Because of the Affordable Care Act, 105 million Americans have already received access to free preventive services, 6.6 million seniors have saved more than $7 billion on their prescription drugs, and more than 100 million Americans have benefited from no longer having a lifetime limit on their coverage. Another key component of the Affordable Care Act is the expansion of Medi-Cal, California's federally funded low-income health program. Starting on January 1, 2014, Medi-Cal will be expanded to serve more low-income families and individuals, including income-eligible childless, non-disabled adults.

“Covered California and the expansion of Medi-Cal will mean new peace of mind for many of my constituents. Many have been unable for years to obtain health insurance because of a pre-existing condition or because they couldn’t find an affordable plan.  This will mean brand-new economic security for millions of Americans and a healthier, more prosperous nation.”

To get information about Covered California  or Medi-Cal  expansion Californians should go to www.coveredca.com or call the Service Center at 1-800-300-1506, from 8 am to 8 pm, Monday through Friday, and from 8 am - 6 pm on Saturdays. Callers will also be supported by thousands of certified and trained individuals - from enrollment counselors, customer service representatives, and county eligibility workers - who can provide help either in person or over the phone.  

Translators and fact sheets are available in English, Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, Farsi, Hmong, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese.

  

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