Health insurance · California
ACA Marketplace Health Insurance in California
California has expanded Medicaid: an adult qualifies up to about $22,025 in 2026, and marketplace subsidies pick up above that.
- Under 65
- Covered California
- Financial assistance for those who qualify
Marketplace coverage in California
California has expanded Medicaid, so a single adult earning up to about $22,025 in 2026 — 138% of the federal poverty level — qualifies for Medi-Cal, and the marketplace subsidy picks up above that line. California sells its plans through its own exchange, Covered California, not healthcare.gov.
A real person calls you back.Licensed agents in our Greenwood Village, Colorado office — not a call center, not a robot.
Where California residents buy marketplace coverage
Every plan sold on the marketplace covers the ten essential health benefits, none can decline you or charge more for a pre-existing condition, and the premium tax credit is applied through the same application.
Covered California
California marketplace plans are sold through Covered California. It is a state-based marketplace with its own enrollment system and its own open enrollment window. A licensed agent can enroll you there at no extra cost — the carrier pays us; your premium does not change. See how ACA marketplace plans work.
Medicaid expansion in California
California has expanded Medicaid. An adult with household income up to about 138% of the federal poverty level qualifies for Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program rather than a marketplace plan — in 2026 that is roughly $22,025 for one person, $29,863 for two, $37,702 for three and $45,540 for four. Above those lines the premium tax credit takes over and is applied to a marketplace plan. There is no coverage gap: the application checks income first and routes each household to the right program. Expansion status per KFF’s Medicaid expansion tracker (as of August 2026) and medicaid.gov; income lines from the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines.
What you would actually pay, and when you can enroll
The sticker price is not what most people pay
Premium tax credits are based on your household income and household size, and they are applied directly to your monthly premium rather than paid back at tax time. We check what you qualify for before you pick a plan, so you are comparing what you would actually pay each month, and we tell you if a plan’s deductible or network makes the cheapest premium a poor choice.
Open enrollment in California
Open Enrollment is the annual window when anyone can sign up for a marketplace plan or change the one they have. It generally runs from November into January. Covered California is a state-based marketplace and sets its own window, which has often run longer than the federal one. Outside that window you need a qualifying life event — losing job coverage, moving, marriage, or a new child — to enroll. Dates are set each plan year; a licensed agent will confirm the current ones on the call.
Turning 65 in California?
If you are turning 65, or already have Medicare, a marketplace plan is usually the wrong product: once Part A and Part B begin, the premium tax credit ends and Medicare becomes primary. The natural next step is a Medicare Advantage plan for your county.
California insurance regulation
California Department of Insurance
Marketplace plans sold in California are regulated by the California Department of Insurance, which approves the plans and rates carriers may offer, licenses the agents who sell them and handles consumer complaints.
Common questions in California
Do Californians use healthcare.gov?
No. California runs its own exchange, Covered California, and that is where every subsidized individual and family plan in the state is sold. The same application checks Medi-Cal eligibility — about $22,025 for one person in 2026 — before it calculates a premium tax credit. A licensed agent can help you enroll there at no extra cost.
Has California expanded Medicaid, and what is the income line?
Yes. An adult with household income up to about 138% of the federal poverty level — roughly $22,025 for one person or $45,540 for a family of four in 2026 — qualifies for Medi-Cal. Above that, premium tax credits apply to a Covered California plan. There is no coverage gap in California.
Does Covered California run a longer open enrollment than healthcare.gov?
Covered California sets its own window rather than following healthcare.gov’s, and it has often run longer than the federal one. The dates are set each plan year, so we confirm the current Covered California window on the call rather than publishing one here. Two things in California do not wait for open enrollment: Medi-Cal, which enrolls year-round for adults up to about $22,025 for one person in 2026, and a special enrollment period after a qualifying event such as losing job coverage.
I am turning 65 in California. What happens to my Covered California plan?
Once Medicare Part A and Part B begin, the premium tax credit ends and Medicare becomes primary, so most people leave Covered California. The California Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), run by the Department of Aging at 1-800-434-0222, offers free Medicare counseling, and our agents compare the Medicare Advantage plans filed for your California county.
Prefer we call you? Here is what happens next.
A real person calls you back.Licensed agents in our Greenwood Village, Colorado office.
A licensed agent calls you back
During business hours: Monday to Friday 9 to 7, Saturday 9 to 5, Mountain Time.
We focus on what you actually need
Tell us whether you need help with Final Expense insurance, Medicare or another health coverage question. Your agent reviews the options that apply to your situation.
You decide what fits
We explain the important differences and next steps. If an option makes sense, we can help you move forward. There is no fee for speaking with us.
Sources
- Covered California — the marketplace for California
- medicaid.gov — Adult Coverage Expansion map and the May 2026 Medicaid & CHIP enrollment highlights (expansion status)
- California Department of Insurance — state insurance regulator
- Wikimedia Commons — state outline (CC0)
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Last updated: September 2026