October 11, 2022

Covered California Supports the Biden Administration’s Proposal to Expand Affordable Coverage to More Californians by Fixing the So-Called “Family Glitch”

 

La versión en español de este Declaración se puede descargar en este enlace

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman commended President Joe Biden’s administration for finalizing the proposed fix to the “Family Glitch,” an issue that had prevented millions of Americans with unaffordable employer health insurance from getting marketplace coverage through the Affordable Care Act.

“Covered California supports this proposed rule change, which will build on the Affordable Care Act’s vision and intent to expand access to affordable health insurance, by opening the door of coverage to millions of Americans.

This is a new era for the Affordable Care Act, as Covered California prepares to enter its 10th open enrollment period, with increased financial help available for those who need coverage as well as our 1.7 million enrollees.

With renewal beginning Oct. 18 and open enrollment starting Nov. 1, we look forward to spending the next four months getting every Californian covered.”

The “Family Glitch” has been used to describe an issue where – even though employer-based health coverage was considered affordable for the employee, but not their family members – the family members were nonetheless ineligible for financial help through the Affordable Care Act. The Biden administration proposed a fix in April and the Treasury Department is finalizing it now.

The proposed rule means those Americans, including almost 400,000 people in California, can take advantage of the upcoming open-enrollment period to explore their options for 2023 Marketplace coverage with 13 name-brand insurance companies throughout the state.

Consumers can get free and confidential help to compare their options by calling Covered California’s service center at (800) 300-1506, or through a Covered California licensed insurance agent or certified enroller.

 

About Covered California

Covered California is the state’s health insurance marketplace, where Californians can find affordable, high-quality coverage from private, brand-name insurance carriers. It is the only place where individuals who qualify can get financial help to reduce their monthly premiums. Depending on their income, some people may qualify for California’s low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal program.

Covered California’s mission is to increase the number of insured Californians, improve health care quality, lower costs, and reduce health care disparities through an innovative, competitive marketplace that empowers consumers to choose the health plan and providers that give them the best value. The organization is an independent part of the state government and 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.

News Releases Home