Covered California frequently asked questions for 2018

Covered California Frequently Asked Questions

For People Living with HIV and Hepatitis C and People Considering PrEP

Covered California open enrollment begins this week and you may have questions about how recent actions by the federal government will impact your health coverage. The California HIV/AIDS Policy Research Centers today released a set of common questions and answers to help you better understand your coverage through Covered California. This guide is designed specifically to help people living with HIV and hepatitis C and people considering or currently prescribed medication for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).You can read the full guide here.

Here are some key points to remember:

• Open Enrollment for Covered California begins on October 15, 2018, and continues until January 15, 2019.
• Covered California announced that premiums will increase by an average of 8.7% in 2019. Fortunately, many consumers will be able to avoid paying increased premiums by switching to a lower cost plan in the same metal tier.
• There are several cost-savings programs available for people living with HIV and hepatitis C and people considering or currently prescribed PrEP. These programs can reduce or eliminate the amount you need to pay for drugs and other medical expenses.
• Beginning January 1, 2019, the penalty for choosing not to purchase health insurance—also known as the individual mandate—has been reduced to $0. This means you will no longer be penalized if you choose not to purchase health coverage in 2019 and thereafter.
• For the 2019 coverage year, Covered California announced that all 11 of its health insurance companies will be returning to serve consumers.

Read the full question and answer guide here.