With the Oct. 1 opening looming, Covered California officials were out in force assuring the public that the health insurance exchange was on schedule and ready to begin taking orders.
The head of the Obamacare operation in California said his group was “planning for all systems go Oct. 1,” including the online enrollment feature.
Reports surfaced in recent weeks that the web site might not be functional for enrollments on day 1. The Covered California board was warned about possible delays in late August.
The Obamacare health exchange, run by California, is reaching out to the more than 5 million uninsured Californians. The operation hopes to sign up at least 1.4 million by the end of next year. Policies written before the new year take effect Jan. 1.
Covered California already has begun running ads promoting enrollment in three markets, with an expansion planned throughout October. The health marketplace for individuals and small businesses is targeting minorities, especially Latinos, as well as younger workers and students.
“Getting students enrolled is going to be critical,” Covered California chief Peter Lee (right) said at a Cal State Long Beach town hall session Sept. 6. The health exchange has another session set for California State University, San Bernardino, on Sept. 13.
The federal government’s data hub for the Affordable Care Act marketplaces might not be fully functional by Oct. 1, the L.A. Times reported, but Covered California would write policies regardless and verify information such as Social Security numbers later.
The open enrollment period for health insurance sold via the state programs runs October through March. Those left without health insurance will face minor fines in 2014, but the penalties will increase in coming years.
“With a six-month open-enrollment period (our) media team recommended we build our campaign to promote enrollment with an eye toward the beginning coverage date of Jan. 1, 2014,” Lee said.
Covered California has budgeted $45 million for the initial push of paid media through March 2014 and plans to spend another $35 million from April to December 2014.
Community-based agents (aka navigators) continue to be trained for the Oct. 1 opening. The Legislature last week sent to the governor a plan to require fingerprinting and federal background checks for Covered California staffers with access to the health exchange’s private data from applicants.
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