California: President Biden invites @CoveredCA & Health leaders from across the nation to the WH to celebrate #ACA13!

via Covered California:

La versión en español de este Comunicado puede ser descargada en este enlace. 

WASHINGTON, DC — President Joe Biden invited Covered California’s Executive Director Jessica Altman and other health leaders from across the country to the White House to celebrate the 13th anniversary of the enactment of the Affordable Care Act. The landmark law, which has helped provide quality health care coverage for more than 40 million Americans, represents the most significant improvement to our nation’s health care system since the passage of Medicaid and Medicare more than five decades ago.

“All Americans deserve the peace of mind that if an illness strikes or an accident occurs you can get the care you need,” President Biden said. “The Affordable Care Act has been law for 13 years; it has developed deep roots in this country and become a critical part of providing health care and saving lives.”

California is among the states that have fully embraced and supported the landmark law by establishing Covered California and expanding the state’s Medi-Cal Program. Taken together, those programs have helped reduce the state’s uninsured rate from 17.2 percent in 2013 to a record-low 7.0 percent in 2021, the largest reduction of any state in the nation.

Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, 5.4 million people have received quality health insurance through Covered California. Right now, 1.74 million Californians are enrolled for the 2023 coverage year, and 330,000 of those people are also signed up for a supplemental dental insurance plan. An additional 80,000 people are enrolled in Covered California for Small Business.“Covered California is proud to here alongside President Biden and so many others who have helped build on the tremendous progress that has been made through the Affordable Care Act over the past 13 years,” Altman said. “Happy anniversary, and we look forward to continuing to make a difference in the lives of Californians and those across the country by making health insurance more affordable and providing protection and peace of mind to more people than ever before.”

Coverage Is More Affordable Than Ever

Today, health insurance through Covered California and other Affordable Care Act marketplaces is more affordable than ever thanks to the recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. The law increased and expanded the amount of financial help available to those needing coverage. As a result, two out of every three Californians can get a comprehensive health insurance plan through Covered California for $10 or less per month.

“While we are celebrating today, we know that there are more people out there who need health care, and it is never too late to check out your options on CoveredCA.com,” Altman said. “Many people can get name-brand coverage for less than the price of a movie ticket, thanks to the increased and expanded financial help that is available.”

Californians Can Still Enroll in Coverage

On this anniversary, Covered California is also reminding people that they may still be able to sign up for coverage during the current special-enrollment period if they have recently experienced a significant live event.

As Covered California illustrates in its television ad, entitled “Life Takes a Turn,” some of the most common reasons that someone would be eligible for special enrollment would be losing health coverage, getting married, having a baby, permanently moving to California, or moving within California.

A full list of qualifying life events can be found here.

Those interested in learning more about their coverage options can:

• Visit www.CoveredCA.com.
• Get free and confidential in-person assistance, in a variety of languages, from a certified enroller.
• Have a certified enroller call them and help them for free.
• Call Covered California at (800) 300-1506.