New York-based Oscar Health Insurance will be expanding into Los Angeles and Orange counties next year when it joins the California exchange in 2016. Oscar Health began enrolling via the New York exchange for 2014 and currently serves more than 16,000 members in that state, plus another 800 in New Jersey on policies beginning in 2015.

With newcomers Oscar and UnitedHealthcare, the California individual exchange now has 12 insurers lined up for the 2016 open season. UnitedHealthcare is already selling group plans off exchange in the state, but Oscar Health is coming from across the country with only a couple years’ experience under its belt.

In its existing markets, Oscar Health’s benefit designs are quite different from those available on Covered California (see table).

Oscar’s move to California was announced in a Covered California press release that also mentioned that Oscar’s 2016 offerings were contingent on its obtaining its California Knox-Keene license from the Department of Managed Health Care.

In response to AIS’s request for an interview, Oscar’s press team would only release a statement from CEO Mike Schlosser, who said Oscar was “thrilled” to be part of the new plan openings.

© 2015 by Atlantic Information Services, Inc.