Covered California has reached an all-time enrollment high ahead of the program’s open enrollment deadline. Over 1.8 million people are enrolled in the state’s health insurance marketplace. About 144,000 Californians are enrolling for the first time, and over 1.6 million are renewing their coverage. Nearly half of new enrollees have come from Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. The record number comes despite rates going up almost 10% this year. Covered California attributes the upcoming increase to rising pharmacy costs, labor shortages, and wage increases in the healthcare industry.