Santa Cruz County premiums posted by state health insurance exchange [Santa Cruz Sentinel, Calif.]

May 25--SANTA CRUZ -- For all those who found health insurance just too expensive, the state has posted sample rates for new policies in Santa Cruz County available for purchase starting Oct. 1 as part of the Affordable Care Act.

Benefits are standardized but costs will vary depending on the coverage level. For example, bronze will cover about 60 percent of the annual cost; silver, 70 percent; gold, 80 percent and platinum, 90 percent. The exact amount paid depends on family size, age and income.

According to Covered California, the state health exchange, a 40-year-old in Santa Cruz County could choose from three insurers:

--Anthem, a preferred provider network, where the bronze plan has a premium of $288 a month, to platinum, $538 a month.

--Health Net, a preferred provider network, bronze plan with a premiumn of $345 a month to platinum, $503 a month.

--Blue Shield, an exclusive provider network, bronze plan with a premium of $279 a month to platinum of $456 a month.

About 47,000 county residents are estimated to be eligible for a subsidy, which is based on family income compared to the federal poverty level, currently $23,550 for a family of four. Subsidies are largest for a family with income 150 percent times that, $35,325, and smallest for a family with an income of 400 percent times that, $94,200.

For information, go to

href='http://www.coveredca.com/news/PDFs/CC_Health_Plans_Booklet.pdf'>http://www.coveredca.com/news/PDFs/CC_Health_Plans_Booklet.pdf.

Follow Sentinel reporter Jondi Gumz on Twitter at Twitter.com/jondigumz

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