Can I make a choice between Medi-cal and Covered California subsidized plan?

Hello everyone,

Thanks a bunch for taking the time to read this. As we gear up for the 2024 open enrollment season, I’m looking into enrolling in a subsidized plan through Covered California.

Here’s a bit of background: I’m currently residing in the SF Bay Area, having taken an extended break from work after leaving my last job. This hiatus was mainly due to a combination of familial responsibilities, mental health considerations, and the need to recover from overwork and burnout. As of now, I’m still on a break as dealing with personal matters makes it challenging to take on additional work. Thankfully, I’ve been sustaining myself with savings and a small amount of income from a temp job, and managed to afford a health plan directly through Blue Shield. However, my savings are depleting, and for the upcoming year, I find it necessary to switch to a subsidized plan.

Given a few significant health issues, it’s crucial for me to continue accessing my regular PCP and specialists. Now, here’s the dilemma: When signing up for Covered California, the platform requests my predicted income for 2024. Since I’m unsure about when I can return to work and, consequently, my actual income, I’m a bit perplexed. When I enter my 2023 income, which was less than 10k, the system indicates that I’m ineligible for Covered California and prompts me to sign up for Medi-Cal instead. My question is whether I genuinely have the option to choose Covered California, or am I compelled to go with Medi-Cal? Unfortunately, opting for private insurance this year isn’t feasible due to financial constraints.

Any insights or guidance on this matter would be greatly appreciated.