Paperwork Problems, Glitches Still Plaguing Covered California
Consumers trying to sign up for coverage through Covered California continue to encounter various paperwork and computer glitches more than three months after open enrollment began, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Background
More than 400,000 individuals signed up for health coverage through Covered California by the end of last month, overwhelming the exchange's website and call centers (Terhune, Los Angeles Times, 1/6). Many consumers who were part of the late surge have not yet received invoices for payments.
Last week, Covered California extended until Jan. 15 the deadline for consumers to pay their first month's premium through the exchange, in order to remedy such problems (California Healthline, 1/6).
Details of Problems
Consumers trying to enroll in coverage have faced several problems, including:
- Long hold times when seeking support from their insurer or the exchange;
- Difficulty paying online; and
- Delays in receive insurance cards or invoices for the first month's premium.
In addition, the exchange has said that while all the applications it received online for coverage beginning Jan. 1 have been sent to insurers, a backlog of paper applications remains.
Anne Gonzales -- a Covered California spokesperson -- said the exchange is working at "top speed" to process the paper applications, adding, "We understand people are waiting, and we are going as quickly as possible on our end."
Gonzales did not say how many applications still are pending (Los Angeles Times, 1/6).
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