During the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of Americans lost their jobs and health insurance benefits. Many Californians became eligible for Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid, and have stayed on Medi-Cal while the pandemic continues. Even if your income is now above the cutoff for Medi-Cal, you may still be eligible to continue on your insurance until the pandemic ends. The Federal Public Health Emergency has been extended until July 15th after which time, many Californians who should not be eligible for Medi-Cal will be released. You can also voluntarily withdraw from Medi-Cal by contacting your caseworker.

Senate Bill 260, which passed in 2019 but was not implemented until now due to the pandemic, is now in effect. If you are released from Medi-Cal, you will be automatically enrolled into the 2nd most affordable health insurance plan available on Covered CA. You may need to pay your first month’s premium to effectuate your policy. If your policy has no monthly premium, you will still need to agree to the terms of your insurance. If you do want to elect coverage through Covered CA, you can opt-out of coverage while still retaining your 60-day Special Enrollment Period.

If you expect to be released from Medi-Cal, please do not hesitate to contact us to review your insurance options. It is important to review your Covered CA application and the data entered by your Medi-Cal caseworker. Make sure that your income, address, and household census information are all up-to-date. Please contact us at 310-909-6135 or email us at info@solidhealthinsurance.com for us to better assist you. At Solid Health Insurance Services, we strive to help our clients find the right health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance which best fits their budget and medical needs.