OAKLAND, Calif., Jan. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente has extended the deadline to Jan. 15 for receipt of the first month's premium for a Jan. 1 coverage effective date. In addition, Kaiser Permanente has begun calling new members to inform them about the deadline extension and about the alternative to pay their premium online. The deadline extension is in response to consumer confusion about deadlines related to the Affordable Care Act.

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Members who completed an application, but have not yet received an invoice, can still make appointments and receive care. "We want everyone who completed an application by the enrollment deadline to receive our high-quality care and services," said Ken Hunter, senior vice president, Kaiser Permanente Insurance Exchange Operations.

In the last two weeks of December, the volume of enrollment applications increased substantially. Kaiser Permanente is still processing enrollment files and expects all invoices to be mailed by the end of next week. "Members should not be concerned if they haven't received an invoice yet," said Hunter. "As long as payment is postmarked or submitted online by Jan. 15, Kaiser Permanente will honor their membership retroactive to Jan. 1."

Upon receiving their invoice, members can pay their premium online at kp.org/paypremium. Members will be prompted for their account number and invoice number, both of which can be found on their invoice.

Kaiser Permanente is experiencing an even higher volume of calls than typically received at the start of the year due to inquiries related to the ACA. To avoid longer than normal hold times, members may access the information they need via kp.org, or they may wish to call during non-peak hours, which are typically after 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time or on weekends.

About Kaiser PermanenteKaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 9.1 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: kp.org/share.

For more information, contact:Stacy Pavlovich, Stacy.R.Pavlovich@kp.org, 510-853-1929 Holly Potter, Holly.Potter@kp.org, 510-435-2129

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente

RELATED LINKShttp://www.kaiserpermanente.org