http://www.chcf.org/articles/2016/07/reflections-17-years?_cldee=aGVucnlrb3R1bGFAeWFob28uY29t

California’s individual health insurance marketplace today bears little resemblance to that of the mid-2000s. Since 2014 Californians have been able to purchase individual coverage without regard to their medical history. They can switch plans and carriers during annual open enrollment periods. Consumers face strong incentives to obtain coverage: They incur tax penalties if they remain uninsured, and all who are lawfully present and meet income standards are eligible for subsidies through Covered California. As a result, a greater share of Californians is now covered through the individual market than is uninsured (14% versus 11%, according to one national survey). While affordability concerns remain, early data show that Californians who bought insurance through the individual market spent significantly less than those buying before the ACA. And the percentage of Californians with individual coverage spending more than 10% of their household income on health care costs also went down.