This issue brief explores trends in key data on the affordability of health coverage in California, to highlight both progress and remaining challenges to affordability on the state’s individual market under the ACA.

California Health Insurers: Large Insurers Remain on Top provides a snapshot of the insurance market in California at the end of 2017. This Almanac report looks at market share, enrollment, financial performance, and consumer satisfaction.

In 2019 plan choice on Covered California remained stable. Similar to 2018, 4% of enrollees in 2019 had only one health plan (meaning only one insurer) to choose from. Ninety six percent had at least two, and 81% had at least three. The majority of enrollees who had only a single choice continued to live primarily in Santa Barbara, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo Counties.

New data from the California Health Insurance Survey show that coverage in California remained stable in 2016–17. Of particular note is how the Affordable Care Act has narrowed disparities in coverage between different racial and ethnic groups.