ORANGE, Calif. (July 21, 2026) — Today, CalOptima Health joins Covered California for the first time in the health plan’s history. Founded in 1995, CalOptima Health has served millions of Medi-Cal members across three decades, with about 1 in 4 Orange County residents now being insured by the organization. With the launch of CalOptima Health Covered for the 2027 benefit year, all Orange County residents will have the option to consider this affordable Covered California health plan.
Covered California is the state’s health insurance marketplace, where Californians can find affordable, quality health coverage from top health insurance carriers. According to the organization, Covered California is the only place where eligible individuals can receive financial assistance to reduce premium costs. Consumers can then shop and compare health insurance plans and choose the one that best fits their health needs and budget.
The launch of CalOptima Health Covered comes at a time when affordability is one of the biggest factors influencing consumers’ health coverage decisions. With many people moving between Medi-Cal and Covered California’s marketplace, continuity of care and access to familiar health care providers are increasingly important. CalOptima Health Covered was developed specifically to address these challenges by offering eligible residents a plan with a recognized organization that provides local customer service and enrollment support. Further, CalOptima Health Covered will be the lowest-cost Silver plan available in Orange County.
“CalOptima Health Covered is part of CalOptima Health’s continuing commitment to ensuring Orange County residents have reliable, high-quality health care that improves the quality of their lives,” said Vicente Sarmiento, Orange County Supervisor and Chair of the CalOptima Health Board of Directors. “We are glad to be able to assist families with a new option to maintain the continuity of their care with a plan that gives them a high-value, low-cost option from a trusted local organization whose sole mission is improving the health of our community.”
CalOptima Health Covered will provide consumers with access to essential health benefits and services through a network of doctors, specialists, hospitals, pharmacies and other providers via four levels of coverage. Open enrollment begins November 1, 2026, and continues through January 31, 2027.
“CalOptima Health has served Orange County’s most vulnerable residents for more than three decades, and we understand the challenges people face when their health coverage changes,” said Yunkyung Kim, Chief Operating Officer of CalOptima Health. “With CalOptima Health Covered, we are extending our mission by providing an affordable marketplace option that helps individuals and families avoid disruptions in care while continuing to receive quality health coverage from an organization they know and trust.”
CalOptima Health is the third public managed health care plan to join Covered California and the only new entrant for plan year 2027. Beyond the existing Covered California enrollees eligible for the plan, the organization estimates that up to 15,000 Orange County residents who transition out of Medi-Cal annually will be eligible for the Covered California plan.
“With health coverage top of mind for many Californians, Covered California is pleased to welcome CalOptima Health to the marketplace in 2027,” said Jessica Altman, Executive Director of Covered California. “At a crucial time, this addition will give consumers — including more than 170,000 Covered California enrollees in Orange County — more opportunities to compare plans and choose the coverage that best meets their needs.”