Sacramento health brief: UC Davis hospital build milestone, Covered California enrollment update, and a regional measles exposure notice
Sacramento, CA – February 27, 2026 – UC Davis tower milestone, Covered California enrollment numbers, plus a regional measles exposure notice.
Sacramento-area health coverage over the last 144 hours produced two strong, clearly local headlines tied to hospital capacity and health insurance. A separate measles exposure notice issued today in Northern California is included as regional context, but it is not Sacramento-specific.
Hospital capacity: UC Davis Health marks a major construction milestone
UC Davis Health has reached a key milestone in its long-term hospital replacement project at the Sacramento medical campus: the 14-story California Tower has officially topped out, meaning the building frame is structurally complete. The ceremony took place February 6 at the construction site near 45th and X streets.
Project summaries describe the hospital and pavilion as part of a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar rebuild that is expected to open to patients in 2030. Planned additions include new operating rooms, imaging space, and expanded areas for services such as pharmacy and burn care. The build is also expected to add roughly 334 inpatient beds, a change UC Davis Health has said is aimed at easing pressure as demand grows.
Health insurance: Covered California closes 2026 open enrollment
Covered California, the state health insurance marketplace headquartered in Sacramento, reported that about 1.93 million Californians selected or renewed marketplace coverage during the 2026 open-enrollment period. The update comes as enhanced federal subsidies expired, with Covered California reporting shifts in enrollment patterns that it linked to affordability changes.
The marketplace reported about 235,055 new plan selections for 2026 and nearly 1.7 million renewals. Covered California also broke out regional totals, reporting 205,610 enrollees in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley region. The agency reported that some households received state-funded financial help in 2026, and that cancellations among certain income groups increased as federal support changed.
Outbreak watch (regional): measles exposure notice issued in the Bay Area
While no Sacramento County-specific outbreak advisory was identified in this 144-hour search window, Santa Clara County Public Health on February 27 reported a measles case in a vaccinated adult who recently returned from international travel. Officials said the person visited private work and healthcare locations while infectious and identified public exposure windows at a Burlingame Panda Express on February 23 and 24.
Health officials advised people who may have been exposed to stay home and contact a healthcare provider before seeking non-emergency care, so facilities can take steps to protect other patients and visitors. The notice also emphasized that recommended vaccines should be covered by most California health insurance plans.
Sources
https://hconews.com/2026/02/23/uc-davis-health-tops-out-california-tower-marking-structural-completion-of-3-7b-hospital-project/
https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/california-tower-reaches-new-heights-at-topping-out-ceremony/2026/02
https://www.coveredca.com/newsroom/news-releases/2026/02/26/as-enhanced-federal-subsidies-expire-covered-california-ends-open-enrollment-with-state-subsidies-keeping-renewals-steady-for-now-and-new-signups-down/
https://publichealth.santaclaracounty.gov/news/news-release/public-health-announces-measles-case-santa-clara-county-resident
