SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California today, launched a new ad campaign focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic and encouraging people without health insurance to sign up for coverage during the current special-enrollment period.
“We will get through this together, and whether you have lost your job or suffered a loss of income due to the pandemic, Covered California is here for you,” said Covered California executive director Peter V. Lee. “Covered California can help you find the health insurance you need to protect yourself and your loved ones, and most of those signing up get financial help to pay for coverage.”
The ads are 15 seconds and 30 seconds long and were created by Maximize Video Productions, a San Francisco Bay Area creative agency, just as Californians began staying home to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
“We saw how neighbors were concerned about their health and using things like video chats and window visits to stay connected and protected,” said Max Fancher, the owner of Maximize Video Productions. “We figured out how to safely film people staying at home, staying healthy and safe so we could inform everyone about their health care options during this crisis."
Fancher reached out to his neighbors and friends who live in Oakland, Berkeley and nearby cities to share his idea of how they could film the ads while keeping a safe distance. He drove across the East Bay and filmed them from outside their homes, while providing instructions and guidance over the phone.
Several people connected to the ad have either benefited from quality health insurance coverage provided through Covered California or Medi-Cal. Maurice Ramirez is a self-employed photographer who lives in Alameda and appears in the ad with his wife and son. He says he could not imagine raising his family without the protection of a health insurance plan.
The ads highlight Covered California’s current special-enrollment period, which allows any eligible individual who needs health insurance amid the COVID-19 emergency to sign up for coverage. Covered California’s eligibility requirements are similar to those in place during the annual open-enrollment period, and consumers can sign up for coverage through June 30.
Consumers can check here and find out if they are eligible for Covered California or Medi-Cal, and see which plans are available in their area.
People who sign up through Covered California will have their coverage begin on the first day of the following month. Also, when applying, those found eligible for Medi-Cal can have coverage that is effective retroactively to the first day of the month from when they submitted their application.
Those interested in learning more about their coverage options can also call Covered California at (800) 300-1506.
