This brief examines the characteristics of the uninsured in California during the first year of expanded health insurance coverage under the ACA. The findings show that major barriers to coverage included costs and ineligibility due to documentation status. The uninsured population in California remains high, with 7.7 million people uninsured in 2014, and affordability and eligibility barriers remain for many. The report suggests that increasing awareness of financial assistance, implementing policies to expand affordability, and extending coverage options for the undocumented could help close these remaining gaps in coverage. Enrollment in Medi-Cal grew by 3.9 million people from mid-2013 to November 2015, and 1.3 million were enrolled in Covered California as of June 2015.
