The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded Medicaid eligibility and created health insurance marketplaces where income-eligible individuals can receive subsidies to purchase coverage. This has led to substantial coverage gains among self-employed Californians and small business employees who lacked employer-sponsored insurance. According to analysis of California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) data, approximately one in five workers lacked insurance in 2015, compared to one in three in 2013. Approximately one in five self-employed Californians and small business employees relied on ACA coverage in 2015. In total, 567,000 self-employed and more than 1.0 million employees of small businesses were estimated to be enrolled in ACA coverage in 2015.
