What Changed in 2026 Covered California Rates?
On August 14, 2025, Covered California announced a preliminary weighted average rate increase of 10.3% for 2026, well below the national average of about 20%. Rates differ by region and plan: the regional averages ranged from 7.4% to 12.9%, and 11 insurance companies offered plans.
The bigger change for most enrollees was not the rates. The enhanced federal premium tax credits, which had lowered premiums since 2021, expired on December 31, 2025. In August 2025 Covered California projected that losing them alone could raise net premiums by an additional 66% on average for 1.7 million enrollees in California.
| Rating region | Enrollees | Average rate change | Shop and switch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Nevada, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne and Yuba counties | 68,890 | 11.1% | 9.3% |
| Region 2 Marin, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties | 62,630 | 8.8% | 1.9% |
| Region 3 Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado and Yolo counties | 105,330 | 7.4% | 1.0% |
| Region 4 San Francisco County | 38,380 | 9.0% | 1.0% |
| Region 5 Contra Costa County | 58,590 | 7.7% | 1.8% |
| Region 6 Alameda County | 81,480 | 7.9% | 2.9% |
| Region 7 Santa Clara County | 78,230 | 12.4% | 5.0% |
| Region 8 San Mateo County | 33,320 | 8.2% | 0.6% |
| Region 9 Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties | 33,390 | 10.8% | -1.5% |
| Region 10 San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Mariposa and Tulare counties | 93,810 | 11.4% | 6.3% |
| Region 11 Fresno, Kings and Madera counties | 51,140 | 12.9% | 10.5% |
| Region 12 San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties | 86,430 | 8.5% | 1.9% |
| Region 13 Mono, Inyo and Imperial counties | 14,850 | 12.9% | 10.3% |
| Region 14 Kern County | 29,470 | 10.2% | 6.9% |
| Region 15 Los Angeles County (northeast) | 258,490 | 10.5% | -2.8% |
| Region 16 Los Angeles County (southwest) | 318,130 | 10.0% | -6.8% |
| Region 17 San Bernardino and Riverside counties | 186,850 | 12.5% | 4.6% |
| Region 18 Orange County | 182,200 | 10.4% | 2.0% |
| Region 19 San Diego County | 145,810 | 11.8% | 2.6% |
| Statewide | 1,927,520 | 10.3% | 1.0% |
What this means for you: These are average changes in the full price of plans, before financial help. What you pay depends on your income, age, region and plan. In 2026 federal help is available only up to 400% of the federal poverty level ($62,600 a year for one person, $128,600 for a family of four), and below that line you pay a larger share of your income for the benchmark Silver plan than in 2025. California's state subsidy keeps premiums close to 2025 levels for incomes up to 150% of the poverty level ($23,475 for one person, $48,225 for a family of four), with some help up to 165%. See what you pay in 2026.