Two out of every three California residents qualified this year for a health insurance premium of $10 or less through Covered California, but those rates will skyrocket next year without congressional action.
It looks like U.S. legislators are about to vote on legislation that would extend the federal financial assistance that drastically lowered premiums last year and in 2022. The vast majority of enrollees received some sort of subsidy as a result of the American Rescue Plan, a 2021 federal law aimed at easing the economic pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic. That financial help is set to expire at the end of this year.
“Extending these subsidies will be crucial in keeping coverage affordable for the 1.7 million people enrolled in Covered California,” said Jessica Altman, the executive director of Covered California. “Increased affordability allows more people to get covered and provides access to quality coverage at a time when health care continues to be important for every Californian.”
