Deadline looms for state health insurance

Friday is the last day for Californians currently without health insurance to register or face a tax penalty.

CHICO >> Friday is the final day for Californians to register for Covered California, or face a tax penalty.

Covered California is the state’s health insurance marketplace, where Californians can find insurance from top companies. Residents using Covered California can also financial assistance on a sliding scale to reduce premium costs.

“In addition to helping lower-income consumers, California will be the first state in the nation to offer financial help to middleincome consumers, people who have never been eligible before because they exceeded the federal income requirements,” said Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee. “We know that many consumers — particularly the uninsured — do not know about this new financial help.”

Consumers can compare health insurance plans and choose the plan that works best for their health needs and budget. Depending on their income, some consumers may qualify for the low-cost or no-cost MediCal program.

“The state of California has made getting health insurance the law — which means if you can afford health insurance and decide to go without coverage, you’ll face a big penalty from the Franchise Tax Board when you file your 2020 taxes in 2021,” Lee said.

The deadline to register is Friday. Visit CoveredCA. com and find out if you are eligible for financial help and what options are available.