Covered California 2022 Rates

Covered California announced its plans and rates for the 2022 coverage year, which will include a full year of lower premiums under the American Rescue Plan. The new and expanded financial help provided by the law has led to a record 1.6 million people enrolled in Covered California, which contributes to the state having one of the healthiest consumer pools in the nation, resulting in a low rate change for a third straight year.

“The American Rescue Plan will keep making a huge difference by lowering costs for many who were previously eligible, and by building on California’s state subsidies to provide financial help to lower premiums for many middle-income Californians for the first time,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California. “By getting more people insured and lowering the costs of coverage, we are creating a virtuous cycle of more people being insured, healthier consumers and lower rates for everyone.”

“California is continuing to make significant progress towards covering everyone in our state, and a key part of that is to make sure folks can take advantage of the federal support through the American Rescue Plan,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom. “The pandemic highlighted how important it can be to have access to quality, affordable health care coverage, and Covered California is making that happen for more people than ever before.”

“The new and expanded financial help from the American Rescue Plan builds on the Affordable Care Act and is allowing more Californians than ever before to get covered and stay covered,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, California Health and Human Services secretary and chair of the Covered California Board of Directors. “Health care is a right, and together we are working toward providing everyone in the state with access toquality, affordable coverage.”

Increased Competition and Consumer Choice

The combination of record enrollment and a healthy consumer pool helped prompt carriers to expand the areas they cover throughout the state, with Covered California allowing a new carrier to join the exchange in one region:

• Anthem Blue Cross will return to Alameda, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Marin, Napa, Placer, Sacramento, San Mateo, Solano, Sanoma and Yolo counties.
• Blue Shield of California will bring it’s Trio HMO plan into portions of Monterey and Santa Barbara counties.
• Valley Health Plan will expand into San Benito and Monterey counties.
• Bright HealthCare, which currently operates on 13 other states and covers more than 500,000 in the individual market, will begin offering coverage in Contra Costa county

As a result, with 12 carriers providing coverage across the state in 2022, all Californians will have two or more choices, 94 percent will be able to choose from three carriers or more, and 81 percent of Californians will have four or more choices.

California Individual Market Rate Changes By Rating Region

* Shop and switch refers to the average rate change a consumer could see if they shop around and switch to the lowest-cost plan in their current metal tier.