Covered California will allow consumers to apply for health coverage from Feb. 23 to April 30 if they claim to have been unaware of the new tax penalty for foregoing insurance, the health benefit exchange announced Friday.
Covered California announced its special enrollment period following news this week that the exchange fell about 300,000 signups short of its 1.7 million person goal.
The original open enrollment period went from Nov. 15 to Feb. 15.
For the first time this year, people filing taxes this year may be hit with a penalty for foregoing health insurance. The fine is based on personal income. For example, a single person earning $40,000 would be fined nearly $300 for being uninsured in 2014 and nearly $600 for being uninsured in 2015, Covered California said in a statement.
To sign up for insurance, the Covered California Service Center is reachable at 800-300-1506.