Covered California Kicks Off Open Enrollment Wednesday with 22-stop Bus Tour and Ads That Will Air During World Series Tonight

• New television ads began airing Wednesday before millions of viewers statewide and will run during Game 7 of the World Series.
• “Covered in Art” bus tour will travel 1,300 miles and make stops in cities across California over 7 days to promote enrollment in health insurance.
  
• Local artists will paint permanent murals at community clinics and other locations across the state to promote health and attract attention to places where Californians can enroll.
• Californians will be encouraged to visit CoveredCA.com and check out their options because prices for some may be lower this year.
  

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Covered California on Wednesday kicked off open enrollment with a comprehensive marketing and outreach campaign including ads that will air during the World Series and a 22-stop bus tour to promote enrollment in health insurance.

“We’re launching our statewide advertising with ads during tonight’s World Series game to make sure everyone in California knows there are quality health insurance options available now for 2018,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California. “While there’s uncertainty in Washington, the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land and financial help is bringing care within reach for millions whether you live in California or Texas.”

The ads can be viewed at https://vimeopro.com/coveredcanews/instant-tv.

Open enrollment, which will take place in California from Nov. 1 to Jan. 31, 2018, is the one time of year when anyone who needs health insurance can enroll without having to meet special qualifying conditions. Consumers should enroll by Dec. 15 for coverage starting Jan. 1, 2018. (Open enrollment in many other states will end after 45 days on Dec. 15).

The “Covered in Art” bus tour will make stops at locations throughout the state where local artists will paint murals to attract attention to enrollment locations and promote health and wellness. Twelve murals will be painted on locations in communities across the state.

“The ‘Covered in Art’ project is a living demonstration of the fact that health care is local and that Covered California is woven into the fabric of local communities,” Lee said.

The Covered California bus is making its first stop at an AltaMed Clinic in Los Angeles. AltaMed, which began in 1969 as a storefront barrio clinic in East Los Angeles, is now the largest federally qualified health center in the nation. Since 2014, AltaMed has enrolled tens of thousands of individuals in coverage available through Covered California, including Medi-Cal.

The mural at AltaMed will feature the words “Salud y Felicidad” (“Health and Happiness”) and will be painted by Yolanda González, a Los Angeles art teacher who has hosted exhibitions around the world at renowned galleries in Russia, Japan, Scotland, France and Spain.

The mural will be painted using an application technique that will permanently affix the art to the AltaMed clinic at 3945 Whittier Boulevard.

From Los Angeles, the bus will travel to San Diego before turning north through Huntington Beach, Wilmington, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Bakersfield, Visalia, Fresno, Modesto, Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Salinas, San Jose and Oakland. All told, the Covered California bus will travel more than 1,300 miles from Nov. 1 to Nov. 7.

“Part of Covered California’s tradition is multi-cultural, multi-lingual marketing and outreach in diverse communities across the state to promote enrollment, and make sure everyone in the state knows there’s help to buy health insurance,” Lee said.

“Covered California is not standing still,” Lee said. “For the first time, consumers can find resources on our website and even enroll on their cell phones. In addition, we have new tools that make it easier to shop and easier to find resources in other languages.”

Research commissioned by Covered California shows that many people still don’t know there’s financial help to buy health insurance, and those concerned about the future of health exchanges are less inclined to enroll. But Lee said Covered California is solid for 2018.

“We want consumers to know we’re offering the same quality coverage we’ve offered since we opened our doors in 2014,” Lee said. “Don’t let the distant thunder in Washington keep you from getting the financial help available to buy health insurance. Covered California is here for you today and will be here for you tomorrow.”

Covered California’s open enrollment period will continue through Jan. 31, 2018. While open enrollment continues through the end of January, consumers should sign up by Dec. 15 to have coverage starting January of 2018. Consumers interested in learning more about their options should go to CoveredCA.com where they can shop to explore their options or get free in-person assistance in the area where they live. In addition, consumers can call the Covered California service center to enroll at (800) 300-1506.

About Covered California
Covered California is the state’s health insurance marketplace, where Californians can find affordable, high-quality insurance from top insurance companies. Covered California is the only place where individuals who qualify can get financial assistance on a sliding scale to reduce premium costs. Consumers can then compare health insurance plans and choose the plan that works best for their health needs and budget. Depending on their income, some consumers may qualify for the low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal program.

Covered California is an independent part of the state government whose job is to make the health insurance marketplace work for California’s consumers. It is overseen by a five-member board appointed by the governor and the legislature. For more information about Covered California, please visit www.CoveredCA.com.