Covered California's fifth annual open enrollment period is off to a roaring start.
Officials at the state's official health care exchange say 48,000 new customers signed up for a Covered California plan in the first two weeks of November. That represents a 23 percent increase over the same time frame last year.
Covered California’s open enrollment period runs through the end of January. And to entice more sign-ups, the exchange is mounting an aggressive marketing campaign.
In contrast, the Trump administration cut the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, open enrollment period in half, and reduced its marketing budget by 90 percent.
Even so, federal officials say nearly 1.5 million people have signed up for a health plan so far this season. That’s ahead of last year’s pace.
