Open Enrollment 2027: What You Need to Know

The dates: November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027

Open Enrollment for 2027 marketplace plans runs from November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. When your coverage starts depends on when you pick a plan:

• Enroll by December 15, 2026: coverage starts January 1, 2027.
• Enroll December 16, 2026 through January 15, 2027: coverage starts February 1, 2027.

If you want coverage from the first day of the year, treat December 15 as your real deadline. After January 15, you can't enroll until the next Open Enrollment unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period through a life event like losing other coverage, moving, getting married, or having a baby.

States that run their own exchanges set their own dates. Most stay open at least through January 15, and some go later. If you live in a state like California, New York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Illinois, or Virginia, check your state exchange for its exact deadlines. HealthCare.gov keeps the federal dates on its dates and deadlines page.

Why the shorter window didn't happen

In 2025, CMS finalized the Marketplace Integrity and Affordability rule. Among other things, it would have ended Open Enrollment on HealthCare.gov on December 15 starting this year, and required every state exchange to close by December 31.

That part of the rule never took effect. In June 2026, a federal court in Maryland vacated it in City of Columbus v. Kennedy, and CMS confirmed in August that the regular November 1 to January 15 dates stand for this season. HHS has appealed, so the calendar could change in a future year. For 2027 coverage, nothing changes.

What's new for 2027 plans

The enrollment dates stayed the same, but several things about the plans and the financial help did not.

The subsidy cliff is back above 400% FPL. The enhanced premium tax credits from the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act expired after 2025. The House passed an extension in January 2026, but it stalled in the Senate. For 2027, there is no premium tax credit if your household income is above 400% of the federal poverty level: $63,840 for a single person, $86,560 for a couple, and $132,000 for a family of four (the limits are higher in Alaska and Hawaii). Our subsidy guide has the full breakdown.

You're expected to pay a bigger share of your income. If you do qualify, the tax credit is set so that you pay a fixed percentage of income for the benchmark Silver plan. For 2027, that ranges from 2.15% of income at the lowest incomes up to 10.22% for households between 300% and 400% FPL. The top rate was 9.96% in 2026.

Tax credits are limited to certain immigrants.Starting January 1, 2027, premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions are only available to U.S. citizens and nationals, green card holders, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and people living here under a Compact of Free Association (COFA). Other lawfully present immigrants, including refugees and asylees who don't yet have a green card, people with Temporary Protected Status, and most visa holders, can still buy a marketplace plan, but at full price. DACA recipients are not eligible for marketplace coverage.

Oregon has its own exchange now. Oregon left HealthCare.gov for 2027. Oregon residents now apply through Explore Health, the state's new marketplace. Oklahoma stays on HealthCare.gov for 2027.

The out-of-pocket maximum went up. For 2027, the most a marketplace plan can make you pay for covered in-network care is $12,000 for one person and $24,000 for a family. Cost-sharing reductions on Silver plans lower that limit to $4,000 (or $8,000 for a family) at the 94% and 87% levels, and $9,600 (or $19,200) at the 73% level.

Bronze and catastrophic plans work with an HSA. Starting with 2026 plans, Bronze and catastrophic plans bought through the marketplace count as HSA-eligible, so you can put pre-tax money into a health savings account while enrolled in one. Catastrophic plans are still limited to people under 30 or people with a hardship or affordability exemption.

How to prepare before you pick a plan

2027 prices are live on HealthCare.gov now. A little preparation makes the comparison faster and more accurate:

Estimate your 2027 income. Your subsidy is based on projected household income for next year, not what you earned last year. If you are near the 400% FPL cliff ($63,840 for a single person, $132,000 for a family of four), small income differences have outsized effects on your premium.

Review your current plan's 2027 costs. Even if you like your plan, the premium, deductible, and provider network can all change year to year. A plan that was cheap in 2026 may not be in 2027.

Check your doctors and prescriptions. Provider networks and drug formularies change annually. If you take specific medications or see specific doctors, verify they are still covered before picking a plan.

Log in to your HealthCare.gov account early. Password resets, identity verification, and account issues take time. Do not wait until December 15 to find out your login does not work.

If you do nothing: automatic re-enrollment

If you have a HealthCare.gov plan now and don't choose one for 2027, you will generally be re-enrolled automatically, in the same plan if it is still offered or a similar one if it isn't. That keeps you covered, but it does not mean you got the best deal:

• Your plan may have raised its premium, and you would not know unless you logged in to check.
• The benchmark Silver plan in your area may have changed. Since your subsidy is calculated relative to the benchmark, your net premium can go up or down even if your plan's sticker price did not change.
• Your income from last year's application may be out of date. If your income changed and you did not update it, you could be getting too much or too little subsidy, which matters at tax time.
• Your tax credit will be recalculated under the 2027 rules above. If your immigration status is no longer one that qualifies, the credit can drop to zero even if nothing else changed.

A planned $5 monthly charge for people auto-renewed into $0-premium plans was struck down and is not in effect. Automatic renewal of tax credits is set to end with 2028 coverage, when a 2025 federal law requires enrollees to update and verify their information before tax credits apply. Getting in the habit of shopping actively now will help.

Should you switch plans or stay?

It depends on two things: whether your current plan changed, and whether a different plan would save you money.

Every year, the lowest-cost Silver plan and lowest-cost Bronze plan in your county may come from a different insurer. Since the benchmark plan determines your subsidy, switching to the new lowest-cost Silver can sometimes get you a plan for $0 or close to it.

On the other hand, switching plans means new provider networks and possibly new formularies. If you are in the middle of treatment or have a specialist you depend on, check whether that provider is in-network on the new plan before switching.

The right move is to compare both options. Log in, look at what your current plan costs for 2027, and compare it against at least two or three alternatives.

Updating your income matters more than ever

Starting with the 2026 plan year, there is no cap on how much excess subsidy you have to repay at tax time. In previous years, repayment was limited to $375-$3,250 depending on income and filing status. That safety net is gone.

If you underestimate your income when enrolling for 2027 and earn more than expected, you will owe back every dollar of excess subsidy when you file your taxes. And if your income crosses 400% FPL, the cliff means you owe back the entire subsidy, not just the excess above the line.

Be conservative with your income estimate. If you are unsure, it is better to estimate slightly high and get a larger refund than to estimate low and face a surprise tax bill.

Check your estimated subsidy

Use the calculator below to see what you might qualify for under the 2027 rules. This can help you set a budget before you compare plans.