With immediate effect, Covered California, the free service where Californians can obtain health insurance, has extended a new special enrollment period for state residents who do not have health insurance so they can cope with any covid pandemic contingency -19, either through Medi-Cal or the plans it offers.
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“We want to make sure everyone knows that in California they can get access to the evidence for the covid-19, including undocumented people”Bradley Gilbert, director of DHCS, said in a conference call.
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“They should contact their local community centers or public hospitals to gain access to care,” he added. “And, where appropriate, also sign up where we do have access to health coverage.”
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Movements in health coverage come amid a widespread disruption in the lives of nearly 40 million Californians, as public health authorities seek to curb the spread of covid-19, which has so far claimed their lives of 19 people in the state.
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Peter Lee, CEO of Covered California noted that all medically necessary exams and tests for covid-19 are free, and all health plans available through Medi-Cal and Covered California offer telemedicine options.
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Health insurance enrollment for anyone who is uninsured, eligible, and needs health care coverage in the midst of the national emergency began this Friday. The registration period lasted until June 30.
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“We want to cover as many people as possible to ensure they have access to the medical care they need, “Lee said in a statement. “Having more people insured is the right thing to do, and this action builds on our efforts to leave no one behind in California.”
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People who enroll will have access to private health insurance plans with monthly premiums that may be reduced due to federal and state financial aid that went into effect in 2020.
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“In the prior enrollment period, 400,000 more people enrolled,” Yurina Rico, a spokesperson for Covered California, told Univision News. “In total, 1.6 million people were registered.”
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How health coverage will work
After selecting a plan, coverage will begin on the first day of the following month. This means that people who lose coverage for their work will not face a time gap to access health services.
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” I don’t have health insurance and I want to have it ”said Adam Reyes, a 44-year-old Mexican. “A month ago I fell off a ladder and hurt my back; but now, with this coronavirus I am afraid not only for myself, but also for my wife and children. ”
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To lessen the uncertainty of its residents, California has suspended Medi-Cal renewal reviews for 90 days, ensuring that those who are already enrolled can continue their coverage and freeing up resources to quickly process new enrollments expected from people who have lost his job.
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The Department of Health Care Services is also seeking greater authority to accelerate the enrollment of older people and other vulnerable populations, expand the use of telehealth, and take other measures to facilitate access to care.
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The extraordinary challenges posed by covid-19 they demand an equally extraordinary response, and the Medi-Cal and Covered California systems are moving forward to meet the need for health coverage and facilitate access to services, ”said Dr. Bradley Gilbert, director of DHCS, who oversees Medi-Cal, the version of Medicaid in California, which covers some 13 million Californians.
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In California, 4 out of 10 inhabitants do not have health insurance, but it is the first state in the US to have expanded its Medi-Cal coverage for people under the age of 26.
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“Regardless of immigration status, anyone should know that they can be screened without fear,” Anthony Wright, executive director of the Health Access California coalition, told Univision News. “People must remember that California has taken steps to be a more inclusive state and that for the past 10 years it has worked to provide health coverage to low-income children and (undocumented) youth.”
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