California Health Care

Open enrollment is the period during which people can purchase health insurance for the upcoming year. For the average person, this is the only time you can apply for health insurance. While there are some exceptions — such as experiencing a Qualifying Life Event or applying for health insurance through a company that does not use enrollment periods — in most cases, if you do not apply during this time, you will be unable to get the health insurance you need.

It is vital that you are aware of when you can apply for health insurance. It is the law to have it, and if you don’t apply by the deadline, you may face almost a year of living without it. Let Health for California help you plan for the next open enrollment period so you can be prepared for this essential time.

Open Enrollment for Covered California begins on November 1, 2024, and continues until January 31, 2025.

In many cases, if you do not apply during open enrollment, you will simply be denied insurance coverage until t...

Your insurance just got an upgrade.

As of August 1st, 2022, Kaiser Permanente secured several partnerships with organizations like Cigna PPO Network, MinuteClinic^® and Concentra, providing you and your dependents, clients and members with coverage anywhere they travel in the United States. Whether you’re going on business trips or personal vacations, having traveling health insurance with Kaiser Permanente ensures your family or employees can receive treatment at any time.

With the recent influx of remote work availability, extended trips and vacations are more popular than ever. Alongside them, telehealth and over-the-phone appointments are in high demand. Kaiser’s out-of-state health benefits for California mean that anyone can schedule an appointment in whatever form is most comfortable for them, in any state with Kaiser Permanente facilities, like:

Even when traveling out of state and getting away from California, you need the same health insurance benefits for you and your...

Medicare is the United States health insurance program designed to provide coverage to people over the age of 65, individuals with end-stage renal disease and younger people with certain disabilities. One key benefit of Medicare is that it helps control a person’s health care costs as they age.

Although Medicare can cover much of your health care needs, it doesn’t cover everything. For that reason, some people purchase supplemental Medicare coverage, also known as a Medigap policy. There are several reasons why Medigap might make sense for you and provide the most comprehensive form of health coverage. Learn more about what’s covered by Medicare and what you can get from purchasing a supplemental Medicare insurance plan in California.

Medicare is a multi-part health insurance program. Each Medicare part covers a different type of health care need:

Both Medicare Part B and Part D require a monthly premium based on income. Medicare Part B also has an annual deductible,...

In California, you can access comprehensive health insurance through Covered California or the Affordable Care Act (ACA). However, vision care is not considered an essential health benefit. While certain Covered California health insurance plans offer some vision benefits, these plans only cover the basics. You’ll want to consider personal vision insurance if you have a family history of vision issues or wear glasses.

Supplemental vision insurance helps make eye care more accessible and affordable. It allows you to maintain your vision for a low monthly fee without putting yourself under financial strain.

Your vision insurance plan offers coverage outside your health insurance plan. You can either sign up for a stand-alone vision plan or combine your vision insurance with a dental plan. There are a few things to take note of, though:

It is worth noting that qualifying, unreimbursed costs associated with your coverage may be tax-deductible. Some of your premiums may also be tax-deducti...

Have you recently lost your health insurance coverage? Will you lose your coverage soon? If so, you may still have options for health insurance that can cover your medical needs. If you lose coverage before the next open enrollment period, you may qualify for special enrollment under certain conditions, like how you lost your coverage. This could be your opportunity to apply for new health insurance and avoid a coverage gap.

This article will help you understand how voluntary and involuntary loss of coverage relates to new plan enrollment so you can explore your options.

Losing your health care coverage can be stressful, but there are solutions. Lots of things could result in loss of health coverage, like:

Typically, you would need to wait for an open enrollment period to start a new plan. Fortunately, if your loss of coverage was involuntary, it is usually a qualifying life event for special enrollment. Your involuntary loss of coverage is a qualifying life event as long as e...

Many people have different priorities regarding vision insurance coverage, which ultimately can influence whether it is worth it to them. Take a look at our guide on vision insurance below to make an informed decision that fits your specific health needs.

Vision insurance is a plan that helps you cover the costs of eye-related care, which can range from routine eye exams to prescription glasses and contacts. Some insurance plans offer discounts for corrective eye surgeries or provide allowances to lower the out-of-pocket cost.

Similar to health insurance, vision insurance usually requires a deductible, copay and premium. This plan’s premiums are often much less expensive than those for health insurance.

You can purchase vision insurance through your employer or an insurance provider. The cost of vision insurance can range anywhere from $5 to $30 a month, depending on:

Vision insurance comes with several benefits that are appealing to individuals and their families, including:

When decidi...

There is so much to prepare when you’re expecting a baby — especially when it’s the first time. In the midst of setting up the nursery, making extra trips to the doctor for prenatal appointments, and securely fastening your brand-new baby car seat, there is always one question looming in every new parent’s mind — “is my newborn covered under my insurance?”

Whether you, as a parent, have health insurance but don’t know much about it or don’t have health insurance at all, navigating the process of getting your newborn health insurance coverage can be tough. Unfortunately, health insurance for newborns isn’t something that just happens on its own. Get a free quote for newborn insurance While there is a short buffer period built in to give newborn coverage through his/her mother’s insurance, the longer you wait to get newborn insurance coverage in California, the more you will have to pay. While the Affordable Care Act and California State Laws make it mandatory for...

If looking at your dental policy overwhelms you, you’ve come to the right place. We understand that dental insurance terminology can be confusing. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of basic terms so you can feel more confident about your coverage and make informed decisions.

The following basic terms are essential to understanding your dental insurance and its benefits:

Most dental plans follow a payment structure to determine how much to cover for specific services. The following information gives you an idea of what to expect:

Many types of dental plans are available in California, whether you want to supplement your health insurance or purchase a stand-alone plan. At Health for California, our agents can help you select a dental insurance plan that best meets your needs and budget. All you have to do is call us — we’re excited to help.

If you’re ready to explore dental coverage options, use our simple online application to shop for plans.

In short, yes — the Affordable Care Act (ACA) does cover mental health insurance. This act ensures your individual mental health is considered just as important as your physical health and your treatments can be covered under the same plan. Continue reading to learn more about the ACA and mental health insurance.

The ACA is a law that reduces national health care costs for patients across the United States. It is commonly referred to as the Affordable Care Act, but you may have heard it called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) or Obamacare.

The ACA traditionally covers everything from hospitalization services, prescription medications and maternity support to laboratory services and mental health care. ACA plans can also cover mental health and substance use disorders and treatment.

With the ACA in place, those experiencing mental health or substance use disorders can:

Every health insurance plan is different but often covers some of the same treatments, like inpa...

Depending on the policy, your dental plan may provide partial payment for dental implants. Otherwise, most plans cover some or all of the costs related to medically necessary dental care — which may not include implants.

A dental implant is a surgical procedure that involves replacing a missing tooth with an artificial root and crown. It can be used as an alternative to dentures or bridges. The entire procedure, including consultations and follow-up exams, typically occurs in phases over several months.

Getting a dental implant, or multiple implants, can be a costly procedure. It involves more than just the placement of an artificial tooth. You’ll need to pay for each component that makes up the entire tooth, including the post, abutment, crown and related labor. All that considered, expect to pay around $3,000 to $7,000 for a single-tooth implant procedure.

A tooth implant may also come with other expenses, like those related to a consultation and X-rays. Some patients need CT scans...