UC Davis Tower Reaches Construction Milestone as Covered California Enrollment Closes
Sacramento, CA – March 7, 2026 – UC Davis tops out tower as Covered CA reports 205,610 enrollees and local bill targets death notice delays.
UC Davis Health has reached a major construction milestone in its long-term hospital expansion, while new state enrollment data and a Sacramento-backed bill are drawing attention to hospital operations and coverage stability across the region.
UC Davis Health Topping-Out Marks Capacity Expansion
UC Davis Health announced that the 14-story California Tower on its Sacramento campus has officially topped out, meaning the building’s main structural frame is complete. The tower is part of a multi-year hospital replacement and expansion project expected to open in 2030.
Project plans describe hundreds of additional inpatient beds along with expanded operating rooms, imaging space and clinical areas, including services such as pharmacy and burn care. While the milestone does not immediately change patient access, it signals continued progress toward increasing hospital capacity in the Sacramento medical district as demand for specialty and emergency services grows.
Covered California Reports Regional Enrollment Totals
Covered California, the state’s health insurance marketplace headquartered in Sacramento, reported that about 1.93 million Californians selected or renewed coverage during the 2026 open-enrollment period.
Of those, 205,610 enrollees are in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley region. The exchange said most sign-ups were renewals, with fewer new plan selections compared with the previous year. Covered California linked the shift in part to the expiration of enhanced federal premium tax credits, while noting that state-funded subsidies continued to provide financial help for some households.
For residents, the update underscores ongoing affordability changes heading into 2026, particularly for those who rely on marketplace coverage.
Bill Targets Delays in Death Notifications
A bill introduced by Assemblymember Maggy Krell of Sacramento follows a KCRA 3 investigation into delayed death notifications and paperwork backlogs tied to multiple Dignity Health facilities in the region.
The reporting described cases in which families were not promptly informed of a loved one’s death and experienced delays in receiving documentation such as death certificates. The proposed legislation would clarify expectations around reasonable efforts to notify next of kin and create potential financial penalties if delays persist. The measure is in its early stages and would need to move through committee hearings before any floor votes.
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://www.kcra.com/article/kcra-dignity-delayed-investigation-death-notification-bill/70439541
If you have urgent symptoms, seek medical care. For general questions, talk with a licensed clinician.
