When people just move to California, they might wonder how health insurance works. Moving to a different state is an adventure, but maintaining coverage can be a source of stress. There are specific steps to follow when crossing state lines to manage health insurance. They are a little different in California, but the process is similar to other states.
See If the Insurance Carries Over
Some health insurance carriers cross state lines. Employees should contact HR if they are moving because of their job. If they do not receive health care from their workplace, they will most likely have to reapply for coverage.
When people move, they usually qualify for special enrollment, which allows them to apply for coverage outside of open enrollment. In California, the enrollment period for a new plan is 60 days.
Search on California’s Health Care Site
In California, there are health care search engines like Health for California. When looking for plans, consider the affordability. The premium included with plans is often an immediate payment, so ensure that sum is doable. You should also look over the benefits. Not all plans include perks like optometrists and dermatologists.
Apply for the Best Fit
Once the new resident chooses a plan, they can apply online via a health care website like Health for California. The provider will ask for documents like social security cards, proof of the move, immigration documents for immigrant citizens, federal tax returns for every household member and employer, and income information for them, as well.
Top Places to Search for California Health Insurance
California has many websites to search for health insurance. The best overall is Health for California, but there are a few other notable ones, too.
Health for California
Health for California has existed since 2004. It is a Certified Insurance Agent by Covered California and has obtained its license from the California Department of Insurance. It helps new and existing California residents — plus green card holders — find plans that fit their needs. Its plans include individual, family, child-only, Medicare, senior, group, and small business.
There are five categories of health plans ranked in Health for California by the percentage that applicants pay for their care. For Bronze plans, people pay 40%, and for Silver plans, they pay 30%. Clients with Gold plans are charged 20% and Platinum plans are charged 10%. If there is a disaster or a special case, Catastrophic plans pay 60% or less to applicants. This system makes it easy for people to peruse plans based on affordability.
Key Features
- Certified Insurance Agent by Covered California
- Can help green card holders
- A categorized system that ranks plans based on affordability
Methodology
Health for California was chosen as the best insurance search engine because of its various features, credibility, and ranking system for affordable plans. Its ease of use was also a distinguishing factor.
Other Places
Some other notable health care search engines are listed below:
- Covered California: The state-based place to find health care plans
- Healthcare.gov: A general place to search for plans in all states
- Medi-Cal: The California-specific place to apply for Medicaid
- Anthem Blue Cross: A private insurance company for California residents. Do not visit its website directly. Instead, search for it via health care search engines
Find a Good Plan
In most cases, new California residents must apply for a new health insurance plan when they move to the state. Follow these steps and consider several search engines to find the best fit.
