Covered California Releases Enrollment Data for the Greater San Francisco Bay Area

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The nine-county greater San Francisco Bay Area had 93,592 consumers select an insurance plan through Covered California from Nov. 15, 2014, to Feb. 22, 2015.

The greater Bay Area counties of San Francisco, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Napa, Sonoma and Solano represent about 19 percent of new enrollment statewide, which totaled 495,073 over the same period. These counties represent Covered California pricing regions 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.

Covered California is offering a special-enrollment opportunity for consumers who did not know or understand there was a tax penalty for being uninsured in 2014 or who learned they may face a penalty for 2015. Consumers have until April 30, 2015, to apply for health coverage during special enrollment by attesting that they did not realize there was a tax penalty.

To attest to this fact, they can select “Informed of Tax Penalty Risk” when filling out an application at CoveredCA.com.

Although open enrollment has ended, consumers who experience a qualifying life event can still gain health insurance coverage through special enrollment in Covered California.

Qualifying life events include losing health coverage through a job, getting married or entering into a domestic partnership, having or adopting a child, changing where a person permanently lives or gaining citizenship. For a list of common types of qualifying events, visit www.CoveredCA.com.

Enrollment data by metal level and by insurance carrier for this region are included in the following charts.

Metal Level	First Open Enrollment		Second Open Enrollment
Minimum Coverage	416	1.6%	132	1.6%
Bronze	8,261	31.0%	3,186	38.0%
Silver	14,718	55.2%	4,183	49.9%
Gold	1,713	6.4%	508	6.1%
Platinum	1,563	5.9%	376	4.5%
Total	26,671	100.0%	8,385	100.0%

* Data include individuals who finished their applications and selected plans through Feb. 22, 2015. Regional breakouts may not add up to statewide totals due to data reconciliations in process.

Covered California is the state’s marketplace for the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Covered California, in partnership with the California Department of Health Care Services, was charged with creating a new health insurance marketplace in which individuals and small businesses can get access to affordable health insurance plans. Covered California helps individuals determine whether they are eligible for premium assistance that is available on a sliding-scale basis to reduce insurance costs or whether they are eligible for low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal. Consumers can then compare health insurance plans and choose the plan that works best for their health needs and budget. Small businesses can purchase competitively priced health insurance plans and offer their employees the ability to choose from an array of plans and may qualify for federal tax credits.