On Thursday, November 21, 2013, the Board of Covered California decided to stay the course on implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and not extend non-ACA compliant plans after 2013.

Extending non-ACA compliant plans posed significant and well publicized risks to healthcare reform overall – including negatively impacting the risk pool, increased possibility for higher premiums in 2015 and significant consumer confusion in an already stressed market. California now joins nine other states that have already announced plans to stay the course.

New Application Deadline for January 1, 2014 Effective Date Covered California also announced that applications for a January 1, 2014 effective date are due by December 23, 2013.