CalHEERS, also known as the online application for health care coverage through Covered California, has been updated as of August 1, 2016. Here's a brief breakdown of the key changes and how they will help members by simplifying the application process:
Member Level Plan Selection for Advanced Premium Tax Credit (APTC)
For the first time, APTC-eligible consumers may now select different plans for each member of the household or custom-group members of the household together into separate APTC-eligible plans. The tax credits for each will be automatically disbursed across the selected individual plans or custom-grouped plans.
This new feature enables members to choose a plan that may be best suited to their household member's individual needs or network preference. It also assists consumers in our American Indian (A/I) and Alaskan Native (A/N) populations who were previously unable to select a plan if some members of their household were not part of a federally recognized A/I or A/N tribe.
Remote Identity Proofing (RIDP)
In order to improve the clarity and readability of consumer messaging, CalHEERS has made changes both to the description text and to the dropdown menus.
The purpose of these changes is to better explain the function of the RIDP pages and the role they play in ensuring the security of the Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
Additional options have been added to streamline the process of uploading documents. Members can now choose between two options for document types that may be submitted as proof of identification.
CalHEERS Web Browser Login Restrictions
Users are now restricted to one account login per web browser (e.g., Safari, Chrome, Internet Explorer). A user will no longer be able to open a new browser tab or browser window to log into their account and view multiple consumer applications.
If an user attempts to log into more than one browser, a pop-up message will display asking them to "Close the second window or tab in order to continue.