Per CoveredCA below are a few results of health reform in California.

"Since its enactment in March 2010, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has improved health insurance quality and affordability in tangible ways for millions of people in California. For those on Medicare, benefits such as free preventive services, cancer screenings and an annual wellness visit have expanded under the health care law. In addition, seniors can also save money on brand-name prescription drugs. 

A number of market reforms contained in the Affordable Care Act also are improving care for Californians, including:

• Insurers are prohibited from setting lifetime limits on essential health benefits, such as hospital stays, beginning with new policies issued. Approximately 12 million people in California are no longer subject to these limits as a result of the act, according to federal estimates.

• Insurers are no longer allowed to re-examine a customer’s initial application to cancel, or “rescind,” their coverage due to unintentional mistakes or minor omissions.

• Dependent children up to age 26 must be offered coverage under a parent’s insurance plan. Federal data indicates that more than 435,000 young adults in California have gained coverage as a result of this provision of the act.

• Insurers may not exclude children under the age of 19 from coverage due to a pre-existing medical condition.

• Insurers are now required to spend the vast majority of premium dollars on medical care and quality improvement activities, and a smaller, limited amount on overhead expenses such as marketing, profits, salaries, administrative costs and agent commissions. "

Source: https://www.coveredca.com/PDFs/CC-health-plans-booklet-2015.pdf

Other resources: http://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/facts/timeline/