Enrolling
2027 open enrollment
Opens November 1, 2026. Enroll by December 15 for coverage on January 1. The final deadline is being litigated, so treat December 15 as the real one.
The dates
| Date | What it is | Certainty |
|---|---|---|
| November 1, 2026 | Open enrollment begins on HealthCare.gov | Settled |
| December 15, 2026 | Last day to enroll for coverage starting January 1 | Settled |
| January 15, 2027 | Final day of open enrollment | Under appeal |
State exchanges run their own calendars
Around twenty states operate their own marketplace rather than using HealthCare.gov, and they set their own dates. Some open earlier and most close later.
| Closing date | States |
|---|---|
| December 15 | Idaho, Vermont |
| December 23 | Connecticut, Massachusetts |
| December 31 | Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia |
| January 15 | Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Washington |
| January 31 | California, District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York |
What to actually do, in order
1. Do not let yourself be auto-renewed
After two consecutive years of large increases, the plan you are in is frequently no longer the sensible choice. Insurers reshuffle their offerings every year, and the plan that was cheapest in your county last year often is not this year. Twenty minutes of comparison is worth more than almost anything else on this page.
2. Estimate your 2027 income honestly
Not last year’s. Not a hopeful number. Since the repayment caps were eliminated, underestimating is expensive in a way it never used to be. If you are unsure, estimate toward the high end.
3. Check where you sit against the cliff
If you are within a few thousand dollars of 400% of the federal poverty level, that is the single most consequential fact about your coverage. Run it in the calculator before you shop.
4. Do not buy on premium alone
If your income is under 250% of poverty you qualify for cost-sharing reductions, and they only work on a silver plan. A large number of households moved to bronze in 2026 chasing a lower premium and forfeited a benefit worth considerably more than they saved.
5. Check the network before the price
Verify your doctors, your hospital, and your prescriptions against the actual plan documents rather than the summary. Networks change every year, and a plan that saves $60 a month while dropping your specialist is not a saving.
6. Pay the first premium
Enrolling is not the same as being covered. In 2026 roughly one in five federal marketplace enrollees never paid their January premium, and their coverage never took effect. The effectuation rate fell from 90% to 83% in a single year.
Common questions
When does open enrollment start for 2027 coverage?
November 1, 2026. That date is settled and applies on HealthCare.gov. A few state exchanges open earlier: Idaho in mid-October, Connecticut and Massachusetts in late October.
What is the deadline for coverage starting January 1?
December 15, 2026. This is the date that matters for most people and it is not in dispute. Enroll after it and your coverage generally starts February 1 at the earliest.
Why is the final deadline uncertain?
A 2025 federal rule would have ended open enrollment on December 15 beginning with plan year 2027. A federal court in Maryland struck that provision down in June 2026, which restored the January 15 deadline. The government appealed in July 2026 and the case is pending before the Fourth Circuit. Until it is decided, January 15 is operative but not guaranteed.
What happens if I miss open enrollment entirely?
You generally cannot buy a marketplace plan until the following year unless you qualify for a special enrollment period through a life event such as losing coverage, moving, marrying, or having a child. Medicaid and CHIP have no enrollment window and can be applied for at any time.
Will I be automatically re-enrolled?
Historically yes, if you did nothing. Do not rely on it. Auto-reenrollment puts you in a plan chosen by an algorithm at next year's price with next year's network, and after two consecutive years of large increases that is rarely the best available option. Actively comparing takes twenty minutes.
Sources
- 1.HealthCare.gov: Dates and deadlines
- 2.CMS legal statement on the City of Columbus litigation
- 3.CMS 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability final rule
- 4.KFF: What we know about 2026 enrollment, premiums, and deductibles
Marketplace rules change through legislation, rulemaking, and litigation. Confirm anything you are about to act on, or call and ask.
Keep reading
Want a second pair of eyes before you enroll?
Open enrollment is short and the decision lasts twelve months. A licensed agent costs you nothing and will check the network, the drug list, and the subsidy math with you.