Covered California Setting Strong Enrollment Pace

Numbers out today show between November 15 and December 3 nearly 49,000 people selected health insurance plans through Covered California. Another 81,000 were deemed eligible but have not chosen a plan. It took several more weeks to achieve those numbers last year.

But Covered California Executive Director Peter Lee says outreach is still important.

"We have expanded our television, radio, digital and outdoor ads carrying enrollment messaging to millions of Californians," he says. "We have more than 200 store fronts open across the state."

Lee says immigrants are receiving a specific message.

"We’re distributing immigration fact sheets that we developed last week in partnership with leading immigration organizations to clarify that individual’s immigration status is closely held and only used for purposes of determining eligibility for coverage and not shared in any way with immigration authorities," he says.

If you want health coverage by the New Year you must select a plan by December 15. Open enrollment ends February 15. Lee says he anticipates 1.7 million people total will be enrolled in coverage plans by then.