Surpassing 1.8 million enrollees, Covered California has reached its record-high enrollment with the first open enrollment deadline coming up on Dec. 31.
This open enrollment, 143,686 Californians have signed up for 2025 coverage as of Dec. 14, marking a three percent increase over the same period last year.
Another 1,647,162 Californians have renewed their coverage so far, a four percent increase over the same period last year.
“We want to make sure every uninsured Californian understands that the most financial assistance ever offered through the Affordable Care Act is available here in California for 2025,” Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman said. “Now is the time to take advantage of this financial assistance to start the New Year with affordable, name-brand health coverage and peace of mind for you and your family.”
With the first open-enrollment deadline of Dec. 31 quickly approaching, Covered California is urging consumers to sign up now so they can have their health care coverage for all of 2025, beginning on Jan. 1. Open enrollment will end on Jan. 31.
Nearly 39,000 new enrollees identified as Latino, while nearly 28,000 Asian Americans have signed up for coverage so far. Over 33,000 White Californians and over 4,000 Black Californians have enrolled, and over 28,000 Californians did not disclose their Race/Ethnicity.
Despite the continued progress, the latest data from the California Simulation of Insurance Markets (CalSIM), a model created by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, shows that there are nearly 1.3 million uninsured Californians who either qualify for subsidies through Covered California (591,000) or are eligible for Medi-Cal coverage (675,000), and they reside all over the state.
In 2025, Covered California is offering more financial help for Californians than ever before. Building on the existing federal subsidies to help pay for health insurance premiums, Covered California is enhancing its cost-sharing reduction program that reduces the cost of accessing health care for consumers by lowering out-of-pocket costs when they seek medical care, including eliminating deductibles in all three Silver cost-sharing reduction plans.
The cost-sharing reduction program for out-of-pocket costs is available to all Californians with incomes above 200 percent of the federal poverty level (which is $30,120 for a single person and $62,400 for a family of four), while those under 200 percent of the federal poverty level will continue to have access to higher levels of benefits.
In 2024, nearly 800,000 existing Covered California enrollees are taking advantage of this program, and over 100,000 of the new enrollees have qualified for these cost savings and richer benefits for 2025. That means nearly 1.1 million enrollees have already enrolled in enhanced Silver plans for 2025.
Nearly 90 percent of Covered California’s enrollees receive financial help. Two-thirds of those enrollees are eligible for health insurance for $10 or less per month, and nearly half could get a comprehensive Silver plan for that price.
Consumers can learn more about their options by visiting CoveredCA.com, where they can easily find out if they qualify for financial help and see the coverage options in their area. Those interested in learning more about their coverage options can also call Covered California at (800) 300-1506.
Californians who forgo health coverage will be subject to a tax penalty administered by the State Franchise Tax Board. The penalty for not having coverage the entire year will be at least $900 per adult and $450 per dependent child under 18 in the household. A family of four that goes uninsured for the whole year would face a penalty of at least $2,700.
Covered California is an independent part of the state government whose job is to make the health insurance marketplace work for California’s consumers. It is overseen by a five-member board appointed by the governor and the legislature.
