Many clients of mine asking me when can I buy health insurance through the California State Exchange and can my agent assist me to navigate through the system.

The health insurance exchange , Covered California, will open October 1st, 2013 and continue enrollment until March 31st, 2014. You must purchase health insurance during this open-enrollment period to obtain coverage in 2014. If you have a life changing event such as loss of job , death of a spouse, divorce or birth of a child, you would be eligible for special enrollment within 60 days of the event.

If you decide not to enroll during this “open-enrollment period”, you will not be guaranteed a health plan will cover you, either through the exchange or the private market. The next open-enrollment period begins in October 2014 for coverage in 2015.

Only certified agent can assist you to buy your health insurance through the exchange, if your current agent is not certified than he cannot sell you insurance plans through Covered CA exchange. The certification for health insurance agent is scheduled to be in August.

Solid Health Insurance Services will make sure to have the certification, so that we can assist all of our clients.