HealthCare.gov Unable to Verify Your Identity? What to Do in 2027
A failed online ID check doesn't end your application. HealthCare.gov gives you a reference code to call Experian, and then a way to upload an ID document. Here's each step, how long it takes, which documents count, and what's different when you apply with an agent for 2027 coverage.
Get Free Help From a Licensed Agent ↓What Happens When HealthCare.gov Can't Verify Your Identity?
If HealthCare.gov can't verify your identity online, you still have two backup steps: a phone call to Experian and a document upload. The online check only confirms that you're really you. It doesn't decide whether you qualify for coverage, and your credit score doesn't affect that either. You just can't submit your application or enroll until one of the steps works.
A few terms first. The Marketplace is the Health Insurance Marketplace, where you buy Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans; in many states, that's HealthCare.gov. CMS, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, is the federal agency that runs it. “Identity proofing” is CMS's name for the ID check.
FreedInsure LLC is an independent agency. Its licensed agent is Constantino Lardi (NPN 20230457), who is licensed in 42 jurisdictions. An NPN, or National Producer Number, is the ID number that tracks an agent's insurance licenses. Our help is free to you: (844) 788-3733. This page explains CMS and HealthCare.gov rules. It's general information, not legal advice.
Quick answer: If HealthCare.gov can't verify your identity after 2 tries, you get a reference code. Call Experian at 1-866-578-5409 with it. If that fails, upload one accepted ID document, or two from a second list. Verification usually takes 7 to 10 days. Applying through an agent's website for 2027? Your backup steps may be different (see below).
Last updated: October 16, 2026
Why HealthCare.gov Checks Your Identity
HealthCare.gov checks your identity so that no one else can open an account and apply for coverage in your name. In its own words, the check means “someone else can't create an account and apply for health coverage in your name without your knowledge” (HealthCare.gov).
Where the questions come from
You answer a few multiple-choice questions that only you should know. They're based on your credit report. CMS's identity flyer lists the kinds of topics you may see:
- Past addresses and counties you've lived in
- Details about a car
- Credit card lenders and when the accounts were opened
- Loans and mortgages
- Employers
HealthCare.gov's privacy page says the Marketplace contracts with Experian and Symantec to verify what you enter during this check. That's why a failed check sends you to Experian's phone line.
Will this hurt my credit score? No. CMS says the check is “only an inquiry and doesn't affect your credit score.” Your credit score also doesn't affect whether you qualify for Marketplace coverage.
Why the Identity Check Fails
A failed check means the Marketplace couldn't match what you entered with the records it checks. CMS's identity flyer puts it this way: “we couldn't match all of the information you gave us with the information available in the data sources we use.” Since the questions come from your credit file, a few things can get in the way. This list is our plain reading, not an official one:
- Little or no credit history. If your credit file is thin or empty, there may not be enough in it to ask you questions.
- Questions you don't recognize. An old address, a closed card or a car loan from years ago can be hard to remember.
- Details that don't match. A different spelling of your name, a new last name, an old address or a typo can keep the system from matching you.
None of this means you did something wrong. CMS says that if the check fails, you'll be asked to check your information and try again. So before your second try, make sure your name, address and date of birth match your records. If it still fails, go to the next step below.
Applied on HealthCare.gov Yourself? Fix It in 3 Steps
Here's how to verify your identity on HealthCare.gov when the online questions don't work. These steps come from HealthCare.gov's help pages and apply when you apply on your own.
- Call Experian with your reference code. If the check doesn't work after 2 tries, HealthCare.gov gives you a reference code. Call Experian at 1-866-578-5409 and give them that code.
- Upload a document if Experian can't verify you. If verification fails again, HealthCare.gov takes you to a screen to upload a document. One document from the first list below is enough, or two from the second.
- Wait about 7 to 10 days. HealthCare.gov says identity verification usually takes 7 to 10 days.
You can start, but you can't finish yet. While CMS checks your documents, you can start your application online. But you can't submit it or enroll until your identity is verified. You can also apply by phone with the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596. CMS says the same rule applies there: no enrollment until you're verified.
Applying With an Agent in 2027? Your ID Check Path May Be Different
Many agents help clients on enrollment websites that CMS approves. These sites are run by insurance companies or online brokers. If your agent uses one, your ID check may happen on that site instead of in a HealthCare.gov account. For 2027 coverage, CMS is requiring these sites to check identity in certain cases before an agent can work on your application. CMS scheduled this to start on the sites no later than October 12, 2026.
Who gets the ID check
CMS calls these three cases “high risk.” The check is for the household's main contact, the person filing the application:
- A new application. This includes people moving from another state.
- A plan that costs $30 a month or less. You already have a plan, and you pay $30 or less a month for it after your premium tax credit. That credit is the federal discount that lowers your monthly premium. Stand-alone dental plans don't count.
- A new or different agent. You're starting to work with an agent who wasn't helping you before.
The check uses Experian or another ID service that CMS approves. The questions are about your own history, so you answer them yourself.
If the ID check on the agent's site fails
📞 Call the Experian Help Desk
The site must give you a reference number and contact information for the Experian help desk.
🔑 Try Another Approved ID Service
If the site offers one, you may be able to use a different CMS-approved ID service.
💻 Apply on HealthCare.gov
You can apply on HealthCare.gov yourself. That means creating an account and uploading ID documents, which a person reviews by hand.
⚠️ The Call Center Can't Do It
CMS says the Marketplace Call Center can't do ID checks for applications made on agent enrollment websites.
Does the ID check happen every year?
On an agent's enrollment website, it depends. If you have an account on that website, CMS says your ID check may carry over from year to year. If you don't, it must be redone each coverage year.
What comes next: approving your agent
On these sites, CMS says every application needs your approval of your agent, with or without an ID check. The site may reach you by text, email or automated call. It must use your own phone number or email, never the agent's. Any one-time link or passcode expires within 15 minutes. Our guide to the 2027 Marketplace ID check and agent approval explains that step.
CMS also says every application that involves an agent must include a Social Security number (SSN) or immigration document number that CMS can verify. This applies to every applicant except newborns. Here's why your agent needs your SSN.
Side by side: applying yourself vs. on an agent's website
| Step | On HealthCare.gov Yourself | On an Agent's Enrollment Website (2027) |
|---|---|---|
| Where the check happens | Your HealthCare.gov account | The agent's CMS-approved enrollment website |
| Who runs it | The Marketplace, which contracts with Experian and Symantec | Experian or another CMS-approved ID service |
| If the questions fail | A reference code to call Experian at 1-866-578-5409 | A reference number and the Experian help desk's contact information |
| Next backup | Upload one or two ID documents | Another approved ID service, if offered, or apply on HealthCare.gov and upload documents |
| Marketplace Call Center | Can take your application by phone, but you still can't enroll until you're verified | Can't do ID checks for applications made on agent websites |
Documents That Prove Your Identity
HealthCare.gov accepts one document from the first column, or two from the second column. The list comes from HealthCare.gov's “How can I verify my identity?” page.
| One of These Is Enough | Or Two of These |
|---|---|
| Driver's license | U.S. public birth certificate |
| School ID | Social Security card |
| Voter registration card | Marriage certificate |
| U.S. military card or draft record | Divorce decree |
| Government-issued ID | Employer ID card |
| U.S. passport or passport card | High school or college diploma |
| Certificate of Naturalization (N-550/N-570) | Property deed or title |
| Certificate of Citizenship (N-560/N-561) | Pick any two from this column. |
| Green card (I-551) | |
| Employment Authorization Document with photo (I-766) | |
| Military dependent's ID | |
| Native American tribal document | |
| U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner card | |
| Foreign passport or consular ID with photo |
How to send your documents
- Upload them. CMS says this is the fastest way. Log in to your Marketplace account and select Manage account settings. If it says “Identity wasn't verified,” select Verify now. Then pick the document type and upload your file.
- Check the file first. Use a .pdf, .jpeg, .jpg, .gif, .xml, .png, .tiff or .bmp file under 10 MB. Keep special characters, like a colon or asterisk, out of the file name.
- Or mail copies. CMS says to include your name, date of birth and Social Security number with them. Call the Marketplace Call Center to confirm the mailing address before you send anything.
After you upload, HealthCare.gov says it will tell you the result by email and in your account Messages in 7 to 10 days.
Don't have a Social Security number? Some lawfully present people don't have one or can't get one, and HealthCare.gov says they can still apply. See health insurance without an SSN. For everything else to gather, see our list of documents to apply for coverage.
How Long Does It Take HealthCare.gov to Verify Your Identity?
Usually 7 to 10 days, according to HealthCare.gov. That's its estimate for reviewing documents you upload. If you mail them, CMS says it typically takes 7 to 10 business days after they arrive. You can't submit your application or enroll until you're verified, so the wait matters most near a deadline.
On HealthCare.gov, Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Enroll by December 15, 2026 for coverage that starts January 1. If you enroll December 16 to January 15, coverage starts February 1. Some state-run exchanges end later; see open enrollment deadlines by state and when open enrollment is for 2027.
Don't wait for the deadline. If you want coverage on January 1, try the ID check early. Upload documents by early December so the usual 7-to-10-day review can finish before December 15. That's our planning tip, not a promise.
When to Call the Marketplace, and When It Can't Help
Call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 (TTY 1-855-889-4325) if you're applying on your own. You can apply by phone, or ask about documents you already sent. It's open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except holidays. Our Marketplace phone number guide covers what else it handles.
What it can't do: CMS says the Call Center can't help with ID checks for applications or enrollments made on agent enrollment websites. For those, use the Experian help desk reference number the site gives you, or apply on HealthCare.gov and upload documents.
How to spot a real Marketplace call: HealthCare.gov says Marketplace calls come from 1-855-997-1890 or 844-477-7500 (caller ID: Health Insurance MP or InsMarketplace). The caller won't ask for your bank or account numbers, your health history or your Marketplace account. HealthCare.gov login security codes come by text or call from 1-877-320-6986, or by email from accounts@healthcare.gov. If something feels off, hang up and read our guide to health insurance scams.
State-Run Exchanges Have Their Own ID Process
If your state runs its own exchange, follow that exchange's ID steps, not HealthCare.gov's. State-run exchanges set their own rules for ID checks and agent approval. CMS lists these as state-run exchanges for 2027, in states where FreedInsure sells Marketplace plans:
- California: Covered California
- Georgia: Georgia Access
- Illinois: Get Covered Illinois
- Kentucky: kynect
- New Jersey: Get Covered New Jersey
- New York: NY State of Health
- Oregon: Explore Health, new for 2027
Some of these exchanges explain their ID check online:
- New Jersey: Get Covered New Jersey's privacy notice says it uses outside companies, such as Experian, for its ID check.
- California: Covered California's “Proof of Identity” page says most people can send one document. If you don't have one, you send two from a second list.
- Kentucky: kynect has a help article that explains its ID proofing.
For the other state exchanges, check the help pages on the exchange's own website. Dates differ by state too; see 2027 open enrollment deadlines by state.
Arkansas and Oklahoma also run their own marketplaces, but CMS lists both as using the federal platform, HealthCare.gov. So the federal steps above apply there. FreedInsure doesn't sell Marketplace plans in DC, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, Pennsylvania or Virginia.
Sources
- HealthCare.gov: Verifying your identity — why the Marketplace checks your identity.
- HealthCare.gov: How to upload documents — 2 tries, the Experian reference code and phone number, the upload screen and the 7-to-10-day estimate.
- HealthCare.gov: How can I verify my identity? — accepted identity documents.
- CMS: Verifying your Identity in the Marketplace (Product No. 11778, September 2025) — credit-report questions, what a failed check means, credit score, mailing copies, the mail-in review time, and enrolling only after you're verified (including phone applications).
- HealthCare.gov: Privacy — the Marketplace's contracts with Experian and Symantec.
- HealthCare.gov: How to upload documents to verify your identity (CMS Product No. 12063, August 2025) — upload steps, file types, the 10 MB limit, file names, and results in 7 to 10 days.
- CMS: EDE Change Request 109 FAQ, Identity Proofing and Agent/Broker Authorization (August 3, 2026) — who gets the 2027 ID check on agent enrollment sites, agent approval, what happens if the check fails, and how long it lasts.
- CMS: Tips for Agents & Brokers When Using the Marketplace Call Center (September 2026) — the Call Center can't ID-proof applications made on agent enrollment websites.
- CMS fact sheet: Federal Marketplace Anti-Fraud Actions (September 22, 2026) — verifiable SSN or immigration document numbers on agent-assisted applications.
- 45 CFR 155.220 (eCFR) — agents may only use an identity that belongs to you, and must use your own phone and email; and CMS consumer consent FAQ (2024) — agents may never log into or create your HealthCare.gov account.
- HealthCare.gov: Contact us — Marketplace Call Center numbers and hours; Protect yourself from fraud and scams — real Marketplace caller numbers and login security codes.
- HealthCare.gov: Do I need to enter my SSN? — lawfully present people without an SSN can still apply.
- HealthCare.gov: Dates and deadlines and CMS statement (July 31, 2026) — Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage.
- CMS: States by Marketplace Type for Plan Year 2027 — which states run their own exchanges, and which use the federal platform.
- State exchanges: Get Covered New Jersey privacy notice, Covered California: Proof of Identity and kynect: What is Identity (ID) proofing?
How FreedInsure Helps
FreedInsure LLC is an independent insurance agency. Its licensed agent is Constantino Lardi (NPN 20230457), who is licensed in 42 jurisdictions. We can't answer the ID questions for you or verify your identity ourselves. CMS rules say an agent may only use your identity when ID-proofing your HealthCare.gov account. Agents may never log into that account, either. What we can do is explain each step and help you see which path fits you. We can also compare plans with you in the states where we sell Marketplace plans. We don't sell Marketplace plans in DC, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, Pennsylvania or Virginia. There, we'll point you to your state's exchange. Our help is free to you.
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