It was late 2012 and we were getting scattered information on what will ultimately be the major health insurance marketplace for individual, families, and small companies in California.
The Exchange with the newly anointed name Covered California which points to it's stated goal of enrolling almost all Californians on a health insurance plan.
Many people we speak with do not understand what the Exchange is so let's delve a little deeper and introduce ourselves.
An online marketplace for California health
insurance
Part of the Health Reform bill established the
requirement for an Exchange, either State
sponsored or in the absence of State movement,
Federally provided.
The Exchange is the main hub through which people can purchase health insurance in California.
In California, the State decided to create their own Exchange and have been busy doing so for the past year.
The Exchange is designed to provide a way for individuals and family under the age of 65 (not Medicare eligible) and for small businesses (with less than 50 employees) to shop, compare, and purchase health insurance.
So what can a person expect to see and what makes the Exchange different than other sites?
Each carrier will now offer 4 core metallic health plans (Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze) plus one more lower priced option for younger people.
This is true for both individual or group health insurance which has traditionally offered very different benefits and corresponding rates.
The exchange plans available through Calhealth (we'll show all of them) will be slightly different from carrier to carrier as each California carrier will modify benefits to meet the main requirements of what makes up a metallic plan.
Here are great tools to get the most out of the California Exchange (Covered Ca):
Why Silver?
The silver is far the most popular plan!
We'll be able to help you maximize your subsidy right through our system with Exchange plans.
This money can be sizeable depending on your income level so it's important to get the maximum allowable amount and that's what we do!
Are there reasons to purchase plans not available in the Exchange?
Probably not.
That's the advantage to using www.calhealth.net
You'll be able to quote plans both in the exchange and out while the Exchange can only show you plans that are in.
Here's how we see it breaking down.
The doctor networks are the same in our out of the Exchange by law.
That's one of the big differences that we expect to see as the marketplace develops due to many pressures (called price) felt in the Exchange plans.
There's no cost for our assistance as Certified Covered Ca agents!