CaliforniaCalifornia exchange may enroll people in household or lower-cost plans
Beginning in 2027, Covered California will use additional plan choices when enrolling financially eligible people and must explain how they can accept, change, or decline coverage.
What it does
Starting July 1, 2027, Covered California must enroll people eligible for financial help in one of several plans, including a household member’s plan or certain lower-cost plans.
Before coverage starts, people must receive a notice explaining their selected plan, other choices, their right not to enroll, and how to start coverage or opt in.
For policy years starting in 2027, individual plans and insurers must follow the November-to-January enrollment period and related start dates unless federal law requires different dates.
Argument forMatching household members or keeping a previous managed care plan could make it easier for eligible people to keep familiar coverage and care.
Argument againstAutomatic enrollment could place an eligible person in a plan they do not want, although the required notice must explain how to choose another plan or decline enrollment.
More detail
Covered California must enroll eligible applicants in a plan selected from the bill’s listed options. This applies to individuals found eligible for financial assistance through Covered California after the Exchange receives an insurance-program account or a complete application through the Statewide Automated Welfare System. The listed options include the lowest-cost silver plan, a plan used by other members of the person’s household, the lowest-cost plan available to an eligible American Indian with reduced cost sharing, or a previous managed care plan when the Exchange has enough information. Enrollment must happen before the person’s insurance-affordability-program coverage ends, or when the Exchange receives the complete application through the Statewide Automated Welfare System. This enrollment rule becomes operative on July 1, 2027.
Covered California must send an enrollment notice before the person’s coverage begins. The notice goes to each person enrolled through this Exchange enrollment process and must explain the selected plan, other plan choices, assistance, the right not to enroll, appeals information, and how to start coverage. The instructions must explain how to make coverage effective, including paying the premium by its due date when one is owed. When no premium is due, the notice must explain how to opt into the selected plan. The notice must be provided before the individual’s effective coverage date.
Health plans and insurers must use the required annual enrollment period and coverage start dates, subject to federal law. This covers individual health plans offered through or outside Covered California by health care service plans and health insurers. The annual enrollment period runs from November 1 through January 31. Plans must start coverage by January 1 for selections made from November 1 through December 31, and by February 1 for selections made from January 1 through January 31. If these state dates conflict with federal requirements, the plan or insurer must use the federal requirements instead. This rule applies to policy years beginning on or after January 1, 2027.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 14Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 204, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 14Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 8Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 28Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 6800.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 1907 Addis Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 27In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded Special Consent AB1907 Addis et al. By Durazo. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 27Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).Passed Senate
- Aug 25Ordered to special consent calendar.
- Aug 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).Major
- Jun 29In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 18From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 17
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 9From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.Major
- Jun 3Referred to Com. on HEALTH.Minor
- May 21In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 1907 Addis Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 21Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 5203.)Passed Assembly
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 8In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Mar 18From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (March 17). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Mar 17
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 2Referred to Com. on HEALTH.Minor
- Feb 13From printer. May be heard in committee March 15.
- Feb 12Read first time. To print.Introduced
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