Before You Schedule Care: Reminders About Health Insurance At Ucla Health
Before scheduling your care at UCLA Health, keep in mind that:
- You may need to double-check your coverage. The list of health care plans below may not be comprehensive and could change. Check your coverage by contacting either:
- Your benefits coordinator at work
- Your health insurance company
Learn more about how health insurance works, including potential out-of-pocket costs and the differences among various types of health plans.
Watch our video on health insurance and patient billing.
Covered California Fixed Pregnancy Glitch
For part of 2015 and 2016, a glitch in Covered Californias system had been automatically transferring privately-insured pregnant women to Medi-Cal if their income made them eligible for Medi-Cal while pregnant. Medi-Cal is available to all adults with income up to 138 percent of the poverty level, but for pregnant women, the income threshold extends up to 213 percent of the poverty level.
So a woman with income between 138 percent and 213 percent of the poverty level would be eligible for a subsidized qualified health plan in the exchange if shes not pregnant, but for Medi-Cal if she is pregnant. And a pregnant woman counts as two people for Medi-Cal eligibility determination, but just one person for QHP subsidy eligibility determination, further increasing the number of women whose eligibility status could change with a pregnancy.
Some women had been reporting their pregnancies to Covered California, and the exchange had been automatically switching them to Medi-Cal without confirming that the woman wanted to switch. This caused about 2,000 women to lose access to their healthcare providers because of network changes, and the exchange began working as quickly as possible to remedy the problem. By September 2016, the issue had been resolved, and pregnant women are now given a choice of remaining on their QHP or switching to Medi-Cal
Access Care With You In Mind
Whether in-person, at-home or through telehealth appointments, access care that fits with your life and your budget.
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This information is not a complete description of benefits. Call Member Services at 776-4466 for more information.
The Formulary, pharmacy network, and/or provider network may change at any time. You will receive notice when necessary.
Blue Shield of California complies with applicable state laws and federal civil rights laws, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, marital status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or disability.
Blue Shield of California cumple con las leyes estatales y las leyes federales de derechos civiles vigentes, y no discrimina por motivos de raza, color, paÃs de origen, ascedencial, religión, sexo, estado civil, genero, identidad de genero, orientación sexual, edad ni discapacidad.Blue Shield of California
for more information.
Page last updated 2/24/2020
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How To Find Your Best Health Insurance Coverage In California
Your best health insurance plan will be one that covers your health needs without breaking your budget.
When you apply for a plan on Covered California, the system will review your eligibility for Medi-Cal based on your income and family size and will let you know if you qualify.
What Does Dental Insurance Cover In Ca
California’s dental insurance plans cover preventative exams, routine teeth cleaning, fillings, and X-rays. Dental insurance policies may also include periodontics, endodontics, dentures, bridges, root canals, and other surgical treatments. Make sure to compare the coverage of the plan you’re considering so that you know what to expect in terms of out-of-pocket costs.
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Expanded Health Insurance Subsidies In California
Americans from all states benefit from cost-saving subsidies in the Affordable Care Act exchanges if their household income qualifies. These subsidies help pay premiums and reduce out-of-pocket costs. The federal subsidies are for people whose household income is under 400% of the federal poverty level.
California is more generous with its eligibility. People with a household income of 600% of the federal poverty level or below qualify for subsidies to reduce Covered California plan costs. California also offers expanded subsidies for specific ZIP codes.
Here are the subsidy eligibility by household size in Covered California:
- 1 — $17,609 to $75,560
- 5 — $42,339 to $184,080
- 6 — $48,521 to $210,960
Households below subsidy eligibility are eligible for Medicaid through Medi-Cal. Medi-Cal offers low-cost, comprehensive plans. Plan costs are based on household income.
Covered California estimates that more than 90% of people with a Covered California plan receive subsidies that reduce costs.
How much will you save? Covered California asks you for household size, income and ZIP code and figures out cost estimates with subsidies in mind.
Covered California sends subsidies directly to the health insurance company. You can either use subsidies to lower monthly premiums or get paid back to you when you file your taxes.
What Does Health Insurance Cover
Health insurance in California must cover at least 10 essential health benefits. If youre insured through a company that is self-insured, most of these benefits are covered, depending on the companys plan.
Ambulatory patient services: These are out-patient services when you are not being admitted to a hospital.
Emergency services: These services or treatment you receive in a hospital emergency department are delivered whether or not you have health insurance coverage.
Hospitalization: Services are covered when you have at least one overnight hospital stay or you have surgery and are admitted to the hospital for recovery.
Pregnancy, maternity or newborn care: These services include prenatal care, when you give birth to a child, and care for the new baby while in the hospital.
Mental health and substance use disorder services: This coverage includes services like counseling, psychotherapy and drug treatment services.
Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices: Services and devices to help people with injuries, disabilities and chronic conditions to gain or recover mental and physical skills.
Laboratory services: This pays to have blood, urine and other samples drawn and tested by a lab.
Pediatric services: These services include all care for children including dental and vision services.
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Which Hospitals Are In The Health Insurance Networks
The last key piece of the health insurance networks is which hospitals are available in each of the insurance company networks in San Diego.
Ideally, you want the hospital closest to where you live to be in your health insurance network.
It not, its okay, because you will be able to go to any hospital during a true emergency, and your treatment will be covered at in-network rates.
In San Diego County, there are many hospitals to choose from. The image above shows 32 hospitals, including all the major hospitals and many of the mental health hospitals as well.
Always check with your health insurance company to verify that the hospital you want to use is in-network.
What Is A Dental Discount Plan
Dental Discount Plans, also known as Dental savings plans, are designed for individuals, families, and groups looking to save money on their dental care needs. Plan members save 10-60% on the typical cost of dental care and treatments at a nationwide network of usually more than 100,000 dentists. This type of coverage is not considered insurance but more a membership program.
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How Much Does Health Insurance In California Cost Per Month
The average cost of individual health insurance in California is $537 per month or $6,444 per year for an adult in their 40s. However, this cost will change significantly depending on the metal tier of coverage you select and your age. Like most insurance products, the older you are when you take out the policy, the more expensive it will be.
Best For Medicare Advantage Plans: United Healthcare
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Offers child and adult dental
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Offers a variety of short-term insurance plans
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3.5-star average NCQA rating
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Nearly nationwide coverage
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Highly-ranked Medicare Advantage plans
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Higher than average premiums for health plans
UnitedHealthcare is the largest health insurance company in the country and has an extensive provider network. The companys health plans are well-rated for member experience, with an average 3.5 out of 5 star rating from the NCQA. But it stands out for its Medicare Advantage plans, which are ranked even higher by the NCQA . The CMS gives UHC’s Medicare Advantage plans an average 4.2 Medicare star rating, which makes it the second-highest ranked provider of Medicare plans in the country .
UnitedHealthcare has an A+ financial strength grade from AM Best, which was the highest of the health insurance providers we reviewed. And the company offers a lot of options for different needs, including child and adult dental coverage, short-term coverage, student coverage, and plans for small businesses.
But there are limits to UnitedHealthcares offerings as well. The company doesnt have any PPO plans for individuals and families, and doesnt offer extended coverage for various conditions through medical management programs. And premiums are not low, so it may not be the most budget-friendly option . You should also check the companys J.D. Power ranking for your state, since it fares poorly for customer satisfaction in some regions.
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How Much Does Health Insurance Cost Average Health Insurance Costs By Us State
Health insurance costs vary a lot between states. According to a 2019 report by the Commonwealth Fund:
- Hawaii has the cheapest individual health insurance contributions of any US state, at $755 annually.
- Texas, Tennessee, South Carolina and Michigan all see personal health insurance costs close to the US national average $1,427.
- Massachusetts was the most expensive state for health insurance. Here, individual contributions stood at $1,903.
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How Much Is Health Insurance
Your health insurance premiumthe amount you pay every monthdepends on a variety of different factors, including your age, location, plan type, dependents, and tobacco use. Your out-of-pocket costs, such as your deductible, will also impact your monthly premium.
The provider and the specific plan impact your premium, too. All health insurance plans sold on the marketplace must cover 10 essential health benefits , including outpatient care, hospitalization, emergency services, and mental health care. Extra benefits can cause a plan to be more expensive.
If you qualify for a subsidy such as the Advanced Premium Tax Credit, that may lower the cost of your health insurance. But because the premium tax credit can only be used to pay the EHB, even if you get a tax credit, youll still be responsible for the costs of the non-EHB benefits.
To find the cheapest health insurance, its important to compare quotes from a few different providers.
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Cobra Insurance In California
People who recently lost their employer-sponsored health insurance can sign up for a COBRA plan. COBRA allows you to extend your former employers plan for a limited time.
However, you have to pay for all the costs. The former employer doesnt contribute money to help pay premiums.
The federal COBRA law only pertains to employers with 20 or more employees. However, California has a so-called mini-COBRA law that pertains to smaller businesses. The law allows Californians who previously worked at a small business to keep COBRA coverage up to 36 months.
You Have More Insurance Options For Your Health Than You Think California
If youre self-employed or without insurance from your employer in other words, youre looking for individual or family health insurance in California you might be looking for Affordable Care Act insurance, what’s often called Obamacare. However, we want to make you aware of the whole range of individual and family insurance products we have available in your state.
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Wholl Be The Top California Health Insurer In The Years To Come
The rivalry between Anthem and Blue Shield is likely to continue. As they expand their networks, theyll get into negotiations with top medical service providers and networks to reduce the rates for medical services. In any county where an insurance company is more successful at doing this, theyll take the lions share of the market.
In many cases, medical service provider networks will only partner with one of the top California health insurance companies. They do this to avoid allowing the companies to compete for the same network, which could end up causing insurance rates to drop, reducing the amount of money medical networks can make.
Medical networks like to sign a contract with just one health plan because it allows them to remain in control. They will only partner with the company that offers them the greatest amount of money for the medical services theyre providing.
Youre About To Leave Aetna Better Health Of California
Links to various Aetna Better Health and non-Aetna Better Health sites are provided for your convenience. Aetna Better Health of California is not responsible or liable for non-Aetna Better Health content, accuracy or privacy practices of linked sites or for products or services described on these sites.
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Comparing Health Insurance Tiers
Carefully review plan costs and deductibles to see what’s best for you. Typically, if you expect moderate to high medical costs, choosing a higher metal tier plan with more expensive premiums but better cost-sharing benefits makes the most financial sense.
All plans provide the 10 essential health benefits required by the Affordable Care Act .
Bronze: Best for young, healthy individuals
Bronze plans have the lowest rates but the highest deductibles. This means you’ll keep your monthly costs low, but you’ll pay more for your medical care. As with all ACA plans, a Bronze policy covers preventive care and other essential health needs. And because plans have a high spending cap, called the out-of-pocket maximum, you’ll pay more out of pocket if you have a medical emergency or need a costly medical procedure.
Silver: Best for people with low incomes or average medical needs
Silver plans have a good balance of monthly rates and out-of-pocket costs. For those who qualify, Silver plans also offer cost-sharing reductions in addition to the premium subsidies available on metal-tier plans.
Considering the monthly rates, coverage and potential subsidies available, Silver plans are a good fit for most consumers.
Gold: Best for those with significant medical needs
Gold plans cost more than Silver or Bronze plans, but you pay less for medical care. These plans are best if you need ongoing medical care or take costly prescriptions.
Platinum: Best for those with the greatest medical need
How To Pick The Best Covered California Plan
Here’s how to choose the best Covered Ca plan for your situation:
Let’s look at each section in more detail.
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California Health Insurance: Your Options Costs And How To Buy A Plan
You have multiple health insurance options if youre looking for a health plan in California.
Health insurance through an employer is how most people not eligible for Medicare or Medi-Cal find affordable health insurance. These plans often cost less than getting an individual plan directly from a health insurance company.
Another option is Covered California. Covered California is the Golden States health exchange, which started after the Affordable Care Acts passage.
All Covered California plans are comprehensive and cover the Affordable Care Acts 10 essential health benefits, including outpatient, hospitalization, mental health, prescription drugs and maternity care.
Covered California lets you compare your health insurance options on its website. You enter your address, age, household size and income and Covered California provides you with a list of plan options and cost estimates.
Lets take a look at your health insurance options on Covered California, how much coverage costs, how you get it and other ways to get health insurance in California. Scroll the page or click on any of the lines below to get taken directly to that section.
Best For Minuteclinic: Aetna Cvs Health
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Offers MinuteClinic services at no or low cost
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Plan premiums can be $0 with tax credits
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3.4-star average NCQA rating
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Doesnt offer dental coverage with health insurance plans
With Aetnas no- or low-cost coverage for MinuteClinic visits, you can access a variety of services with greater convenience and on short notice. You can schedule an appointment online to visit your local MinuteClinic seven days per week. Depending on your health needs, you may be able to get a prescription and pick it up on-site. In some cases, this could be a good alternative to more expensive urgent care or emergency room visits.
Aetnas premiums were higher than average in the ZIP codes we reviewed, but if you qualify for the premium tax credit, you could get that amount reduced to zero. This is not the case with all other companies, even if you qualify for the tax credit, and its why Aetna is one of the best health insurance companies for the self-employed.
Aetna offers HMOs, PPOS, EPOs, and HMO-POS plans in Bronze, Silver, and Gold metal tiers. The company also offers plans with medical management programs for a variety of conditions. Aetnas plans have an average NCQA rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars. The company does not offer dental coverage, however, and ACA plans are not available nationwide.
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