Covered California enrollment closes; Shriners to expand care in Folsom; measles exposure notice issued in Bay Area

ByWeence

Sacramento, CA – March 4, 2026 – Covered California enrollment closes, Shriners expands to Folsom, and new Bay Area measles exposure alerts.

Several health updates with local impact surfaced in the Sacramento region heading into early March, spanning coverage affordability, clinic access, and communicable-disease monitoring.

Health insurance: Covered California closes 2026 open enrollment

Covered California, the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace based in Sacramento, said the 2026 open-enrollment period ended with 1,927,371 Californians selecting or renewing coverage. The marketplace reported 235,055 new plan selections and nearly 1.7 million renewals, and it linked slower new signups to the expiration of enhanced federal premium tax credits.

Covered California said California funded $190 million in 2026 subsidies for some lower-income enrollees and reported that renewal behavior differed by income: the marketplace said cancellation rates among certain middle-income renewing consumers rose as federal help changed. Covered California also reported 205,610 enrollees in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley region.

Outside of open enrollment, Covered California noted that special-enrollment periods remain available for people who qualify due to major life events such as losing other coverage or having a child.

Healthcare access: Shriners Children’s plans Folsom extension clinic

Shriners Children’s Northern California announced it is expanding into Folsom with an extension clinic aimed at bringing pediatric orthopedic and sports medicine care closer to families in eastern Sacramento County and nearby foothill communities. Shriners said the Folsom Clinic is an extension of its Sacramento hospital campus and will operate on Mondays and Thursdays, with posted clinic hours in two blocks during the day.

Local reporting on the expansion said the clinic is located at 1625 Creekside Drive, Suite 200, and is scheduled to begin seeing patients March 19.

Outbreak watch: respiratory virus activity and a Bay Area measles exposure notice

The California Department of Public Health’s respiratory virus update posted Feb. 27 reported that seasonal influenza activity remains elevated statewide and RSV activity is also elevated, while COVID-19 activity was described as very low. The statewide dashboard is one of the tools local residents and health systems use to track broad trends as winter illness season continues.

Separately, Santa Clara County Public Health and San Mateo County Health issued a Feb. 27 notice about a confirmed measles case in a vaccinated adult who had recently returned from international travel. Officials said the person visited a Panda Express in Burlingame on Feb. 23 and Feb. 24 during specific midday time windows, creating potential public exposures. San Mateo County Health said people who were at the restaurant during those times and later develop symptoms should stay home and contact a health care provider before seeking in-person care so facilities can prepare to protect other patients and visitors.

Sources

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://folsomtimes.com/shriners-childrens-northern-california-expanding-into-folsom/
https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/northern-california/clinics/folsom-clinic
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/RespiratoryVirusReport.aspx
https://publichealth.santaclaracounty.gov/news/news-release/public-health-announces-measles-case-santa-clara-county-resident
https://www.smcgov.org/ceo/news/san-mateo-county-health-announces-potential-measles-exposure

If you have urgent symptoms, seek medical care. For general questions, talk with a licensed clinician.

Brian 'Weence' Bateman is a seasoned medical and health writer with over a decade of experience in web development, search optimization, and social media for dentists and healthcare providers. His in-depth knowledge and dedication to the field are evident in the meticulously researched and informative content he produces.

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