Covered California

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, pictured in January, must sign off on the latest state budget by June 15. The new $213 billion plan includes an expansion of the state's Medicaid program for low-income adults under the age of 26, regardless of immigration st

California's Budget Proposal Would Expand Health Care To Some Undocumented Immigrants

7:46pm June 10, 2019

The Democratic-controlled Legislature agreed to let low-income residents under 26 to receive Medi-Cal regardless of immigration status. It could cover up to 138,000 people — a cost of $98 million.

California is starting to push hospitals throughout the state to lower their rates of medically unnecessary C-sections.

California's Message To Hospitals: Shape Up Or Lose 'In-Network' Status

11:55am May 23, 2018

by April Dembosky

Covered California, the state's health insurance exchange, will exclude hospitals from insurance networks if they don't reduce their numbers of C-sections, back scans and opioid prescriptions.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says he is joining with peers in California and several other states to file a lawsuit to protect the insurers' subsidies.

Health & Safety

Trump Decision to End Insurance Subsidies Sparks Outrage, Lawsuits

5:58pm October 14, 2017

by Alison Kodjak

Several state attorneys general say they'll sue to protect the subsidies that help defray costs for low-income consumers. Many physician groups say they oppose the administration's action.

Tessa Anklin says Covered California health plans are too expensive for her family.

Rural Californians Want Price Relief From GOP Health Bill, But Most Won't Get It

8:08am July 22, 2017

by April Dembosky

GOP efforts to repeal the ACA are still in flux, and there's more talk now of trying to work out bipartisan fixes for Obamacare. But most suggested remedies won't fix the problems in remote regions.

Peter Lee, executive director of Covered California, the state's health insurance exchange, said the projected rate increases for 2017 are linked to increases in the cost of health care in the state.

Covered California's Health Plan Rates To Jump Sharply In 2017

5:03pm July 19, 2016

After two years of moderate rate hikes, a double-digit increase in the cost of insurance premiums in California is likely to resonate across the U.S. in the debate about the benefits of Obamacare.

"We are now shifting our attention to changing the underlying delivery system to make it more cost effective and higher quality," says Peter Lee, executive director for Covered California, the state's health insurance marketplace.

California Insurance Marketplace Aims To Kick Out Poor-Performing Hospitals

1:19pm March 18, 2016

by Chad Terhune

Doctors, hospitals and insurers are balking at a Covered California proposal to eject providers of care that have inordinately high costs and low quality from its networks.

Karyn Jackson (right) helped Fernando Rico, of Pasadena, Calif., complete a Covered California application for health insurance at an enrollment fair in 2014.

Will HealthCare.gov Get A California-Style Makeover?

11:53am February 11, 2016

by Pauline Bartolone, CALmatters

The feds propose taking a page out of Covered California's book and moving to a simplified marketplace for health insurance.

"Instead of saying, 'We screwed up,' they said, 'Obamacare is the problem and we may not play anymore,' " Covered California's Peter Lee said of UnitedHealth.

California Exchange Chief Rips UnitedHealth For Obamacare Excuses

10:35am February 03, 2016

by Chad Terhune

Covered California's executive director, Peter Lee, said UnitedHealth Group Inc. made its own mistakes on rates and networks that led to a $475 million loss on individual policies in 2015.

California Health Insurance Exchange Keeps Rate Hikes Low — Again

8:04pm July 27, 2015

Monthly premiums for health insurance plans in the Covered California marketplace will increase by an average of 4 percent for 2016. The price for some plans will drop.

Covered California may extend the enrollment deadline for health coverage far beyond Feb. 15.

California Health Exchange Considers Extending Enrollment For Some

9:58am February 13, 2015

by Lisa Aliferis

Plenty of uninsured people will discover they owe a penalty as they file their taxes over the next two months, and will also learn they could be locked out of buying insurance to solve the problem.