Overall Covered California Enrollment Reaches Nearly Two Million in 2025

Covered California reached a record achievement as of the end of the most recent open enrollment period, with more state residents getting their health insurance through the California’s marketplace than ever before. During open enrollment, 345,711 Californians selected a new plan for 2025, joining the 1.6 million who renewed their health insurance through Covered California. That brings total enrollment to 1,979,504, a record high.

This marks the fourth straight year of increases in new enrollments, which have been supported in part by the enhanced premium tax credits that were part of the American Rescue Plan passed in 2021. Californians also enjoy a California-only Cost-Sharing Reduction (CSR) program that supplements the federal enhanced subsidies, which has been available during the past two open enrollments.

Record-Low Uninsured Rate

The efforts to support Californians’ ability to purchase quality affordable health insurance through the marketplace have made a measurable difference in the state’s uninsured rate since Covered California first became available in 2014. Then, the uninsured rate was 17.2 percent, but it has since fallen to a record low of 6.4 percent, which it reached in 2023. This marks the largest percentage drop of any state in the years since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became law. 

Nearly 1 in 6 Californians, about 6.3 million people, have had coverage through the state marketplace since 2014. As Covered California’s executive director Jessica Altman stated, “The law was created to make sure all Americans could have access to health insurance. With the enhanced federal subsidies since 2021 and California’s exclusive cost-sharing-reduction program introduced last year, we have made that a reality for more Californians than ever before in 2025.”

Obtaining Coverage Through Special Enrollment Periods

While the easiest time of the year to obtain new coverage through Covered California, the annual open enrollment period that runs from November 1 through January 31, has already passed, that does not mean you can’t get insurance if you suddenly find yourself without. If you have experienced any of a number of qualifying life events (QLE) outside of open enrollment, you are eligible to apply for a new plan or make changes to your current plan, usually within 60 days of the date of the major life change. For example, uninsured residents of Los Angeles and Ventura counties were eligible for a special enrollment period that ran through March 8, 2025, thanks to the governor’s declaration of a state of emergency due to the January wildfires in the region.

Among the most common reasons an individual may need new health insurance coverage outside of the typical enrollment period is loss of employer-provided coverage. If someone has been laid off or has had their hours reduced to the point where they no longer qualify for coverage, it may not be economically feasible for them to continue their existing coverage through COBRA. Applying for a new plan through Covered California gives them the opportunity to both obtain coverage through top insurers and to receive the level of financial assistance they qualify for, based on their income. Given the air of general economic uncertainty in the U.S. since the beginning of the year, and withmany California companies having already given notice of impending layoffs to come in the months ahead, this can be a welcome resource for preserving peace of mind and smoothing unforeseen job transitions.

Helping You Find the Right Plan through Covered California

If you’ve lost your job or are being laid off and have lost your health insurance coverage, figuring out what do next can be stressful. As a Covered California Enrollment Center, Medical Insurance Today is here to help you get the facts you need to compare plans and find the right policy for you. Our agents can provide plain-language explanations in English or Spanish and will help you qualify for all the financial assistance you’re entitled to. Remember, you only have a limited time to act after a qualifying life event. Contact us here today to find out more about your options.