Each year Covered California begins the renewal process for the upcoming plan year, which typically begins October 1 and runs through December 31. During this process Covered California redetermines the eligibility of each enrollee and qualified individual for coverage effective January 1 of the following year. Covered California is required to send renewal notices no earlier than the first day of the month before the Open Enrollment period beings, traditionally October 1, giving enrollees 30 days from the date of the renewal notice to complete the renewal process before their coverage passively renews.
However, to ensure that Covered California accurately incorporates recent federal and state policy changes for the 2023 plan year, renewals will begin October 18, 2022, giving consumers 15 days to make an active selection instead of the usual 30 days. Renewal notices will reflect the 15-day timeframe for consumers to actively renew, and enrollees will be able to change the plan selected on their behalf through the end of the Open Enrollment Period, which starts on November 1, 2022, and ends January 31, 2023. To assist consumers, the Shop & Compare Tool will be enabled for the 2023 benefit year on October 11, 2022, one week prior to start of the Renewal period.
Please note: Financial assistance for plan year 2023 will include:
- enhanced federal premium subsidies originally provided under the American Rescue Plan and extended through 2025 by the Inflation Reduction Act,federal cost-sharing reduction (CSR) subsidies available to individuals at or below 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL), and the $1 per member per month California Premium Credit (CAPC).
New in Benefit Year 2023: Parent and Stepparent as Dependents
Effective January 1, 2023, a new California law expands the definition of “dependent” for the purposes of enrollment in a Qualified Health Plan (QHP), to include a parent or stepparent of a qualified consumer. Under Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules, this includes a parent or stepparent for whom the taxpayer provides over one-half of the individual’s support. Carriers will be required to provide coverage if the dependent resides in the carrier’s service area. Qualified Dental Plans (QDP) are not included in this law.