Covered California Joins Latino Leaders to Urge the Uninsured to Sign Up for Health Insurance During Open Enrollment
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Covered California joined community and health leaders in Los Angeles on Wednesday to encourage uninsured Latinos to enroll in a high-quality health plan. The move comes as new data shows that Latinos remain uninsured disproportionately higher than the state average.
“We are teaming up with Latino leaders to make sure everyone knows how affordable health insurance can be with the financial help that is available through Covered California,” said Jessica Altman, executive director of Covered California. “Right now, two out of every three Covered California enrollees can get the protection of comprehensive coverage for $10 or less per month.”
What You Need to Know
Right now, Covered California is in the midst of its 10th open-enrollment period, and Latinos have made dramatic gains in coverage over the past decade. A record-high 1.7 million people are currently enrolled in Covered California, which has seen its overall enrollment grow by more than 40 percent since 2014, including a 42 percent increase in the number of Latino consumers.
| June 2014 | June 2022 | Percentage Increase | |
| Latino Enrollment | 267,270 | 380,170 | 42% |
| Overall Enrollment | 1,172,960 | 1,690,520 | 44% |
Despite Progress, Latinos Remain Disproportionately Uninsured
Since the Affordable Care Act went into effect, Covered California has helped the state reduce its uninsured rate from 17.2 percent in 2013 to an all-time low of 7 percent in 2021. While Latinos have also made dramatic gains in coverage, falling from an uninsured rate of 26.3 percent in 2013 to 11.7 percent in 2021, they remain disproportionately more likely to be without health insurance.
The situation is particularly severe in Southern California, where the uninsured rate among Latinos is 13 percent in Los Angeles County, 16 percent in the city of Los Angeles, and 18 percent in the cities of Lynwood, Bell Gardens and South Gate.
“Any person who is lawfully present in California is eligible for health insurance through Covered California, even if they have family members in their household who are undocumented,” Altman said. “When we increase the number of people who are covered, we improve access and quality, and those who need health insurance can do that now during Covered California’s open enrollment.”
Open enrollment is the time of year when eligible Californians can sign up for health insurance and receive financial help to lower the cost of their coverage. Thanks to the increased and expanded financial help made available through the Inflation Reduction Act, more financial help is available than ever before to help lower the cost of coverage.
Increased Affordability Across California
Under the increased and expanded financial help now available, a 21-year-old in Huntington Park who earns $27,000 a year could get a quality Silver 87 plan — which features low copays and deductibles — for $36 a month. They could also get a Bronze plan at no monthly cost.
A couple in Santa Ana earning $45,775 a year could save nearly $700 a month off the cost of their Silver 73 plan and get quality coverage for $151 per month. Or, they could get a comprehensive Bronze plan for $94 a month.
Finally, an Ontario family earning $83,250 a year could get quality coverage for themselves and their two children for $355 per month, or they could get a comprehensive Bronze plan for $140 per month.
Covered California Invests in Marketing and Outreach
Covered California is taking its message across the state through significant investments in marketing and outreach. The campaign prominently features Latino families in the following Spanish-language commercials: “For You,” “Corazon,” “Invisible” and “Translator.”
“Reaching out to our Latino community is going to make a fundamental and seismic shift toward achieving that health equity and racial justice that our California communities deserve,” Altman said.
Signing Up for Coverage Is Easy
Consumers can discover their options by visiting CoveredCA.com, where they can easily find out if they qualify for financial help and see the coverage options in their area. All they need to do is enter their household income, ZIP code, household size, the number of people who need coverage and their ages into the calculator on Covered California’s homepage.
In addition, those interested in learning more about their coverage options can also:
- Get free and confidential assistance over the phone, in a variety of languages, from a certified enroller.
- Have a certified enroller call them and help them for free.
- Call Covered California 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.