Understanding grace periods

What you need to know if your premium payment is late.

Sometimes payments are late. If you find yourself in this situation, we will give you some time to catch up on payments, also known as a grace period. Here is what you should know about grace periods and suspension for individual and family plans:

• You are given a 30-day grace period, starting the month that your payment is past due. This is the law in California.

• You can access your health coverage during the 30-day grace period. If you have a plan with Covered California and receive a subsidy through the Advanced Premium Tax Credit (APTC), you get the 30-day grace period plus another 60 days to pay your overdue premiums.

• You are still responsible to pay all unpaid premiums as well as any copayments, coinsurance or deductible amounts required under your health plan.
  • If you do not pay within 30 days on a subsidized individual and family plan, we will suspend your health plan. After an additional 60 days, your plan will be terminated.
  • If you are on an individual and family plan that is not subsidized by Covered California, and you do not pay within 30 days, your plan will be terminated. 

• We cannot cover doctor visits or any accessed care when your health plan is suspended. If the overdue amount is not paid in full by the end of the 30-day grace period or 90-day grace period for those who receive Covered CA subsidies, your health coverage with Sharp Health Plan will end.

• You can prevent interruption of your health coverage. Pay all outstanding balances by the last day of your grace period to avoid suspension, which starts at 12:01 am, on the first day of the following month. For example, if your grace period ends in June, then you must pay in full by June 30 to reinstate your coverage starting July 1.