With monthly premiums easily surpassing $1,000, getting low-cost health insurance can seem like an impossible ordeal. Luckily, California offers options and subsidies for those who can\u2019t afford to pay the full cost of getting a policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One essential thing you should get familiar with is\u00a0Covered California<\/a>, the state\u2019s health insurance marketplace<\/a>. Their services are entirely free, and it\u2019s the only way to access a health insurance subsidy and apply for Medi-Cal<\/a> (California\u2019s low-cost or free health care program) online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, keep in mind that Open Enrollment ends on January 15th, so if you\u2019re looking for low-cost health insurance in California, you need to act fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Medi-Cal is a program that allows people to get low-cost or free healthcare when eligible. The main requirement is being a low-income resident of California, but there are other instances where you could get covered. Here\u2019s a quick rundown of who can qualify for care:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can submit a Medi-Cal application online<\/a> through Covered California to know if you qualify, over the phone, visit your local county offices, or reach out to a partnered insurance company that could help you work out the kinks of applying to the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are a lot of financial help options in California. You could qualify for Federal or State subsidies and, in some cases, a combination of both. For 2020, there are even more savings available for Californians, which could considerably reduce your health insurance costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Starting January 1, 2020, California will offer subsidies to middle-income residents whose earnings were too high to be eligible. For<\/p>\n\n\n\n example, a family of 4 with an income of up to $154,500 could qualify for a state subsidy. So if you haven\u2019t been able to get help in the past, make sure to check again this year when you apply for health coverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Short-term plans are also known as catastrophic plans and could be a low-cost health insurance option for those who aren\u2019t eligible for any financial help. The savings come from their low premiums, so there\u2019s a reduced cost up-front. However, there are a few things you should know before considering a short-term plan:<\/p>\n\n\n\n To summarize, short-term plans can be a good option if you\u2019re in a difficult spot, but you need to be careful and read the fine print before signing up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you live in California and can afford health insurance, but don\u2019t purchase a policy, you may be subject to a penalty of $695 per adult and $347.50 per child under 18 or 2.5% of your annual income, whichever is higher when filing your 2020 state taxes. Keep in mind that a few months without health insurance could make you subject to a penalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The easiest way to avoid penalties is by purchasing a health insurance plan, but you could also qualify for an exemption if you meet specific requirements. It\u2019s best to talk to a licensed professional to get all the details and find out if you are eligible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We know that navigating through the health insurance system can be confusing. At Freeway Insurance, we can help find the best coverage for you. Don\u2019t let open enrollment season<\/a> pass you by and find out today if you qualify for low-cost or even free health insurance. Call us at 877-583-1475<\/a> or get a free California health insurance quote online<\/a><\/u>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With monthly premiums easily surpassing $1,000, getting low-cost health insurance can seem like an impossible ordeal. Luckily, California offers options and subsidies for those who can\u2019t afford to pay the full cost of getting a policy. One essential thing you should get familiar with is\u00a0Covered California, the state\u2019s health insurance marketplace. Their services are entirely […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1002628,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[],"importance":[],"type-content":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2841"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1002628"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2841"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2841\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10033,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2841\/revisions\/10033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2841"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2841"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2841"},{"taxonomy":"importance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/importance?post=2841"},{"taxonomy":"type-content","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/type-content?post=2841"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What is Medi-Cal?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How Can I Apply for Medi-Cal?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What If I Don\u2019t Qualify for Medi-Cal?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I Don\u2019t Qualify for Health Insurance Subsidies, What Can I Do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What Happens if I Don\u2019t Have Health Insurance?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n