Consumer advocates say Covered California is on the right track to making sure health coverage is available starting in January.
But Anthony Wright of Health Access says even after open enrollment starts next month, aspects of the new marketplace will still be in development.
“Just like any app, we expect to see you know, multiple versions, and improvements as times goes forward, a 2.0, a 3.0 a 4.0,” says Wright.
Covered California is still tinkering with the functionality of its web portal. In-person enrollment assisters are still being trained, and marketing has barely begun.
But Wright says what’s most important is that people have the information they need about the changes that start next year.
“People are making decisions about what careers they’re starting out in. Whether they should retire early, everything from marriage to jobs is impacted by whether you can access health coverage,” says Wright.
A ‘shop and compare’ tool as well as a health insurance ‘cost calculator' are available now on the Covered California website.