How do I enroll in health care through Covered California?

You can apply for Covered California through several methods: online, by phone, in person, by mail, or by fax. You can get the paper application at your local county social services office, or online at https://www.coveredca.com/PDFs/paper_application/CA-SingleStreamApp_92MAX.pdf. The introductory pages of the application (but not the full application) can be found here in Appendix D, PG. 511.

    Online: Go to www.CoveredCA.com. Set up an account with a username and password. Once you log in, you can browse different health plans and start the application process.
    By phone: Call Covered California at 1-800-300-1506 (TTY: 1-888-889-4500). A staff person will walk you through the application process.
    In person: Visit your county social services office. (For a statewide directory, see Appendix A, on PG. 505)[1549] At the office, you can pick up the application form, get help filling it out, and submit it.
    By mail: Send your completed application form to: Covered California; P.O. Box 989725; West Sacramento, CA 95798-9725.[1550].
    By fax: Fax your completed application form to: 1-888-329-3700.
If you want free help with your Covered California application:
    Call Covered California at 1-800-300-1506 (TTY: 1-888-889-4500). The line is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.[1551]
    Get in-person help at a local county social services office (for a statewide list of offices, see Appendix A, PG. 505, or visit http://www.coveredca.com/faqs/).[1552]
    Local community-based organizations and community clinics provide free assistance. You can identify which organizations help with enrollment by calling Covered California or using the “Find Local Help” tool on the Covered California website at http://www.coveredca.com/get-help/local/.
    If you use the online application at www.CoveredCA.com, you can get help through the “online chat” feature.[1553]
    If you have difficulty working with Covered California or your health insurance company, call the Health Consumer Alliance (HCA) at 1-888-804-3536. The HCA provides free local assistance.[1554]

Helpful HintTax Credits to Reduce Cost of Private Health Care

If you’re planning to buy a private health care plan, and you want tax credits to help reduce your costs, have the following information ready when you apply:[1555]

    Birthdates and Social Security Numbers (SSNs) of all household members. For Covered California, a “family” is defined as the person who files taxes as head of household, plus all dependents claimed on those taxes.Current income and latest tax return information for your household. You may be asked to follow up with documents proving your income. If you earn wages, acceptable proof may include: your most recent W-2, a recent pay stub, a letter from your employer on official office letterhead, or a copy of a check paid to you as wages.[1556] Information about any health insurance that you or any household member receives through a job.[1557]
  1. 1549

    A list of county offices is available here: http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/Pages/CountyOffices.aspx.

  2. 1550

    How to Apply, Covered California, http://www.coveredca.com/apply/.

  3. 1551

    Frequently Asked Questions, Covered California, https://www.coveredca.com/faqs/about/.

  4. 1552

    Frequently Asked Questions, Covered California https://www.coveredca.com/faqs/about/.

  5. 1553

    Applying for Coverage, Affordable Health Care, http://affordablehealthca.com/applying-for-coverage/.

  6. 1554

    Frequently Asked Questions, Covered California, http://www.coveredca.com/faqs/special-enrollment/, www.healthconsumer.org.

  7. 1555

    How to Apply, Covered California, http://www.coveredca.com/apply/. If you want to buy a health plan without trying to get tax credits, you just need to provide SSNs for all family member. Enrollment and Eligibility, Covered California, https://www.coveredca.com/faqs/Enrollment-and-Eligibility/.

  8. 1556

    For a full list of documents you can use to verify your income, See Accepted Income Documents, Covered California http://www.coveredca.com/PDFs/Accepted-Income-Documents.pdf Note: Even if you don’t file taxes, you can still qualify for free or low-cost health insurance through Medi-Cal. To learn about signing up for Medi-Cal, go to PG. 496. http://www.coveredca.com/apply/.

  9. 1557

    How to Apply, Covered California, http://www.coveredca.com/apply/.