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Orange County's public health system joins Covered California. What it means for residents
CalOptima Health, Orange County's public health care system, joined the Covered California marketplace.
(
Adriana Heldiz
/
CalMatters
)
Topline:
CalOptima Health, the public health system in Orange County, joined the Covered California marketplace this week, allowing members to apply for the 2027 enrollment period.
What is Covered California? It’s the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace that allows residents to compare and shop for private health and dental plans, including L.A. Care, Kaiser Permanente and Blue Shield — and now CalOptima.
What does this mean? More than 819,000 residents are enrolled with the OC health provider. CalOptima members who are no longer eligible for Medi-Cal coverage because of income changes could stay with their health provider and avoid a gap in care.
Why it matters: Continuity of care is important to one’s health, especially for those with chronic health conditions, officials said. “We understand the challenges people face when their health coverage changes,” Yunkyung Kim, chief operating officer of CalOptima Health, said in a statement. “With CalOptima Health Covered, we are extending our mission by providing an affordable marketplace option that helps individuals and families avoid disruptions in care while continuing to receive quality health coverage from an organization they know and trust.”
What you need to know: CalOptima Health Covered will include four levels of coverage. Open enrollment opens Nov. 1 through Jan. 1, 2027.
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