New commercials start this week to promote California's new marketplace for health insurance.
Covered California was created under the federal Affordable Care Act. The bilingual TV ads show images of road signs, people driving, and smiling people opening doors. Dana Howard of Covered California said it wants to convey a welcoming message.
"When you come into a town, a new community, the signage there is the first thing that people see to make them feel they are welcome. And that's what we're doing with the sign campaign in this ad," Howard explained.
Howard said TV ads airing later this fall will show images of illness and injury. He said the ads will remind people that health insurance helps to deal with those circumstances.
Open enrollment for the marketplace starts October first, with coverage starting in January.
