Covered California Open Enrollment Begins Nov. 1: State Subsidies Rise to $300 Million, Most Enrollees See No Premium Increase
Covered California, the state's health insurance marketplace, announced on October 30 that open enrollment for 2027 coverage will run from November 1, 2026 through January 31, 2027, when Californians can sign up for, renew, or change health plans. To help lower-income families absorb the loss of enhanced federal subsidies, Governor Newsom and the state Legislature raised funding for the Covered California State Subsidy Program from $190 million in 2026 to $300 million in 2027.
This is the 14th open-enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act. More than 1.7 million Californians are currently enrolled through Covered California, and more than 19 million people nationwide hold marketplace coverage this year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Twelve health insurers will offer plans in California for 2027, including one new carrier.
The expanded state subsidy is aimed at residents earning up to 200% of the federal poverty level ($31,920 for an individual or $66,000 for a family of four). Covered California projects that more than 500,000 Californians, about 30% of all enrollees, will receive a state subsidy in 2027; nearly 200,000 will be able to choose from two Silver plans with a $0 premium, an additional 200,000 will newly qualify for financial help, and an estimated 90,000 people will be kept from dropping coverage. Thanks to federal tax credits and the expanded state program, 55% of enrollees will see no increase in their monthly premium; 725,000 enrollees pay $100 or less per month, including 358,000 (20%) who pay $0.
The backdrop is the expiration last year of the enhanced federal premium tax credits, which Congress did not extend; Californians had received nearly $2.5 billion a year from that federal help, and the state subsidy can replace only part of it. Federal policy changes also affect the eligibility of some lawfully present immigrants for marketplace financial assistance, and Covered California said the state has taken steps to help affected residents understand their eligibility and options.
The CalSIM model developed by UCLA's Center for Health Policy Research estimates that more than 1.1 million Californians who qualify for subsidies or no-cost Medi-Cal remain uninsured, including 461,000 eligible for Covered California subsidies and 682,000 eligible for Medi-Cal.
"At a time when people are feeling the pressure of rising prices on everything from gas and rent to food, we're working to make sure people have quality health insurance options they can afford," said Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman, noting the marketplace has connected more than 7 million Californians to coverage since 2014. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Monica Soni said every plan sold through Covered California covers the 10 essential health benefits, including cancer screenings, mental health services, and maternity care.
Consumers who want coverage for all of 2027 must select a plan by December 31. Free, confidential enrollment help is available in multiple languages from 16,000 certified enrollers statewide; 99.6% of Californians live within 15 minutes of in-person help. The call center number is (800) 300-1506. (Source: Covered California news release, October 30, 2026)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于 Sacramento 的萨克拉门托市政厅（资料图）。Vahe Martirosyan 摄，CC BY-SA 2.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Sacramento City Hall in Sacramento, California (file photo). Photo by Vahe Martirosyan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
