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Elk Grove resident, Carol Dyer, used to pay $853 monthly for health insurance premiums and a co-pay of $80 per doctor visit. After signing up for 2024 coverage with Covered California, her monthly premium dropped to $168 and co-pays are expected to be $5. Approximately two-thirds of Covered California enrollees, nearly 1.1 million people, qualify for comprehensive health plans with premiums of $10 or less per month.
Elk Grove Resident Benefits from Reduced Health Insurance Premiums
Elk Grove resident Carol Dyer used to pay $853 monthly for her health insurance and an $80 co-pay each visit to her primary care doctor. However, when she enrolled in Covered California’s 2024 coverage, her monthly premium decreased to $168 and her co-payment dropped down to $5 per doctor’s visit.
About two-thirds of Covered California enrollees qualify for comprehensive health plans with premiums of $10 or less each month. This is part of California’s initiative to make health care more accessible by focusing on reducing deductibles, co-pays and other out-of-pocket expenses.
Covered California Sees Increase in New Policyholders
By the end of last year, over 90% of Covered California subscribers renewed their policies for 2024. The state saw a significant 18% increase in enrollment from Californians who previously did not have their health insurance through the state-based marketplace. The open enrollment period ends on Jan. 31, with coverage starting on Feb. 1 for those who sign up this month.
Dyer’s Health Crisis Highlights Importance of Insurance
Dyer initially switched to a Covered California health plan during the COVID-19 pandemic when her skincare business was deemed non-essential. Since then, she has suffered life-altering injuries in 2021 and 2023, which would have resulted in tens of thousands of dollars in medical debt if she did not have her health insurance.
Get Covered Before Accidents Happen
Covered California leaders emphasize that no one can accurately predict when they will need health insurance. An estimated 1.3 million Californians are uninsured but qualify for subsidies with Covered California or are eligible for Medi-Cal. In addition to federal financial assistance, Covered California has negotiated deals with insurers that have significantly reduced out-of-pocket costs for many Californians.
New Benefits for Low-Income Households
During this open enrollment period, deductibles have been eliminated, co-pays cut, and generic drug prices reduced for households earning up to 250% of the federal poverty level. Dyer said that her Covered California plan has been a “huge blessing.”
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