Find your plan today
If you’ve recently experienced a qualifying life event, you can apply for 2024 coverage now in this Special Enrollment Period. If you’re looking for a 2025 plan, you can apply starting November 1 during Open Enrollment. Get a head start by using our simple calculator to compare plans, get a quote, and see if you may qualify for federal financial help to lower your monthly premium on a PPO or HMO plan.
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Fill out the fields below to see if you’re eligible for federal assistance to help pay your plan premium.
We also offer dental, vision, and life insurance coverage
Good health includes your dental and vision health, too. We’ve got you covered with a variety of dental and vision plans, as well as individual life insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Coverage*.
It’s important to know which doctors and hospitals are included in your PPO or HMO plan’s provider network before you choose a plan. Use our Find a Doctor tool to determine if your preferred doctors and hospitals are included in our PPO and/or Trio HMO networks. In addition to in-person doctors, we also offer access to a network of virtual doctors you can speak with by video or phone from the comfort of your home.
Learn more about health insurance and important terms
How does health insurance work?
A health insurance policy determines the types of medical services or benefits you are covered for, which doctors you can see, and what hospitals you can visit. Your plan also determines what you pay for care and services.
After purchasing a health plan, you can then visit a doctor or hospital in the Blue Shield of California network. A network is a group of doctors, hospitals, and healthcare providers that work with a health plan like Blue Shield. That means you only have to pay a certain amount for healthcare services instead of the full cost. By using in-network doctors and hospitals, you can keep your costs lower.
Health insurance is for preventive and event-based care – meaning you don’t have to wait until you’re sick to see a doctor. Preventive services like annual exams and flu shots are available to you at no additional cost.
What is an Individual and Family Plan?
Individual and family medical coverage plans are healthcare plans that cover individuals and families rather than employer groups or organizations. Medical plans can be HMO or PPO. Dental plans can also be PPO or HMO, but vision plans are not.
Individual health coverage
- Covers one person. The individual is responsible for meeting their deductible before their coinsurance kicks in and the plan starts paying for a portion of their healthcare costs.
Family health coverage
- Covers two or more people, such as a spouse or children under the age of 26. Family coverage has an individual deductible within the family deductible. Blue Shield will pay benefits for an individual member on the family plan once the member meets the individual deductible amount. Blue Shield will pay benefits for all covered family members once the family deductible is satisfied. The family deductible can be satisfied when two family members meet their individual deductibles, or when the combined deductible contributions of three or more members reaches the family deductible limit.
Should I choose an HMO plan or a PPO plan?
When choosing between an HMO (health maintenance organization) and a PPO (preferred provider organizatio) plan, consider things like cost, flexibility, and network size.
- HMO plans are usually more affordable than PPOs, with lower monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs. An HMO plan has lower costs because you agree to use a particular network of providers.
- PPO plans typically have higher monthly premiums and higher out-of-pocket costs, but give you access to a larger network of doctors. PPO plans even cover some of the cost for most covered services received from non-network providers.
When can I sign up for my preferred health insurance plan?
You can enroll in an individual or family plan during Covered California’s annual open enrollment period from November 1, 2024 through January 31, 2025. You can apply for a plan outside of open enrollment if you’ve had a qualifying life event such as losing coverage through your employer.