Fri Dec 27 20:10:00 UTC 2024: ## Lake County Christmas Tree Disposal & Covered California Enrollment Surge

**Lakeport, CA –** The holidays are drawing to a close, and Lake County residents are reminded that Christmas tree disposal begins the week after Christmas. Residents are asked to remove all decorations from their trees before placing them curbside next to their trash totes, or cutting them down to fit inside their green bins. For questions, contact Lakeport Disposal at (707) 263-6080. Obituaries can be submitted to obits@record-bee.com or (707) 380-1152, including name, address, and phone number.

Meanwhile, Covered California announced a record-breaking enrollment surpassing 1.8 million Californians for 2025 health coverage, exceeding last year’s numbers by a significant margin. As of December 14th, 143,686 new enrollees signed up, representing a 3% increase year-over-year, in addition to 1,647,162 renewals (a 4% increase). Executive Director Jessica Altman urged those remaining uninsured to sign up before the December 31st deadline, highlighting the substantial financial assistance available through the Affordable Care Act. Open enrollment continues until January 31st.

The data also revealed a diverse pool of enrollees, including nearly 39,000 Latinos, 28,000 Asian Americans, over 33,000 White Californians, and over 4,000 Black Californians. Despite the high enrollment, approximately 1.3 million uninsured Californians remain eligible for subsidies or Medi-Cal.

Covered California emphasizes the expanded cost-sharing reduction program, which lowers out-of-pocket costs, even eliminating deductibles in some Silver plans. Nearly 90% of enrollees receive financial assistance, with two-thirds paying $10 or less monthly. Consumers can explore their options and eligibility at CoveredCA.com. Those without coverage will face a state tax penalty; at least $900 per adult and $450 per child.

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