It’s official: Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) has launched the lowest cost Covered California Silver plan in the IE.
To celebrate the milestone and introduce IEHP Covered, the not-for-profit health plan held a special kickoff celebration at its San Bernardino Community Resource Center on Nov. 2. The community was invited to learn more about IEHP’s Covered California plans and services, take home valuable resources, and hear from leaders driving the organization’s transition into the health care exchange for the 2024 open enrollment period.
“This has been a long time in the making, and we’re finally here and it is really exciting,” said Susie White, IEHP’s chief operating officer. “Joining Covered California aligns with our vision to deliver optimal care and vibrant health to our residents in our two counties, and as I look into the crowd, I can see many of our partners who share the same vision, and we want to make sure our community members have access to quality care and services that they need and deserve.”
With more than 27 years of experience in service of 1.6 million members, IEHP stands at the ready to offer IEHP Covered to Riverside and San Bernardino county residents who need health coverage. “Our deep roots in the Inland Empire make IEHP different from other plan options enrollees see,” said Wayne Guzman, IEHP’s director of sales and outreach strategy. “This puts IEHP in a wonderful place to be able to truly serve the interests of those who are part of the community. Our goal is to serve as many of those residents as we can and to help them find pathways to affordable, quality health insurance coverage for themselves and their families.”
Driven by its mission to “heal and inspire the human spirit,” IEHP is the second public managed care plan to enter the Covered California exchange. IEHP will offer four levels of coverage – bronze, silver, gold and platinum – including the lowest cost Silver plan in Region 17, which means consumers have more affordable options in the IE. Being the lowest cost Silver plan allows IEHP to offer $0 or low cost coverage to IE residents who lose their Medi-Cal eligibility during their annual renewal.
According to Kevin McKeever, Covered California’s chief deputy executive director:
It is estimated that 1.3 million Californians remain uninsured, including 180,000 residents in the IE.
A recent UCLA study found 70 percent of uninsured Californians forgo coverage because they think they cannot afford health care.
Ninety percent of Covered California consumers receive a federal subsidy, with two-thirds paying $10 or less a month for health care coverage.
The Covered California 2024 open enrollment theme is “Bridging the Gap,” which is evident by the collaborative work with groups like IEHP. Covered California is “helping Californians get access to affordable, quality and equitable health care – everything that all Californians should and are deserving of getting on a regular basis,” McKeever said. “Our goal is to serve all Californians, and that means every corner of the state.”
Open enrollment began Nov. 1 and continues through Jan. 31, 2024. To learn more about IEHP Covered, go to iehp.org or call 855-538-IEHP (4347).
