California health care sign-ups exceed projections

A late surge of sign-ups pushed California’s health insurance exchange beyond the original enrollment projections of the Obama administration.

Through Tuesday’s end of the enrollment period, nearly 1.4 million Californians had selected a policy through the state’s online marketplace, about 1 million more than the federal government had projected last fall.

Covered California, the agency that runs the exchange, released the final sign-up data on Thursday. Still unknown is how many of those who signed up for insurance plans have paid their first month’s premium, which will allow them to begin receiving health coverage.

An additional 1.9 million people gained coverage through Medi-Cal, California’s version of Medicaid. The state opted to accept the expansion of the low-income health insurance program that was offered under the federal Affordable Care Act.