Covered California has announced its 2017 rates and expansion plans for Covered California for Small Business.
The statewide weighted average rate increase is 5.9 percent, for employers and their employees beginning Jan. 1, 2017, which is down from the 7.2 percent increase in 2016.
All six carriers participating in 2016 will return for 2017: Blue Shield of California, Chinese Community Health Plan, Health Net, Kaiser Permanente, Sharp Health Plan and Western Health Advantage.
Starting Jan. 1, Blue Shield of California will take its Full PPO plan statewide across all metal tiers with coverage available to employees working out-of-state.
Blue Shield of California will also offer a new plan, Trio HMO Network, powered by a recent innovation in health care, the accountable care organization (ACO).
Additionally, Kaiser Permanente will bring coverage to Santa Cruz County. Both expansions improve options for employers in rural parts of the state and expand access to the small business tax credit only available through Covered California for Small Business.
Currently, more than 28,000 individuals have insurance through Covered California for Small Business, which makes it one of the largest Small Business Health Options Programs in the nation.
Businesses with up to 100 employees can apply for health insurance coverage for their workers through Covered California for Small Business. Federal tax credits may be available to employers providing insurance through Covered California for Small Business.
