Open Enrollment Underway for Health Care

It’s open enrollment season for health insurance through January 31, 2016, for Covered California, the state health insurance program. Santa Barbara County’s Public Health department can help with questions about that or the Medi-Cal insurance program, which is open year-round.

Appointments can be made Monday through Friday by calling (805) 681-5393. Public Health can explain in English and Spanish what documents are needed and eligibility requirements. Outreach meetings are scheduled on Saturdays around the county as follows:

Carpinteria Health Care Center, December 5, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 931 Walnut Avenue, (805) 560-1050.

Santa Maria Health Care Center, December 12, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 2115 South Centerpointe Parkway, (805) 346-7230.

Franklin Health Care Center, January 9, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 1136 East Montecito Street, (805) 568-2099.

Santa Barbara Health Care Center, January 23, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 345 Camino Del Remedio, (805) 681-5488.

Since the program began in January 2014, Public Health has helped more than 12,000 residents and successfully enrolled more than 6,000 people in Medi-Cal or Covered California. The current enrollment period has been underway since November 1.

Editor’s Note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Medi-Cal is open for applications year-round.