Open Enrollment 2027: Dates, Deadlines & What Changed
Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 – January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. Enroll by December 15 and your plan starts January 1. This year the stakes are higher: the enhanced tax credits are gone, subsidies are smaller, and the 400% income cliff is back. Here's everything that changed — and how to enroll without overpaying.
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When Is Open Enrollment 2027?
Open enrollment 2027 runs November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov — the one window each year when anyone can buy or change an ACA marketplace plan, no qualifying event required. Enroll by December 15, 2026 and coverage starts January 1, 2027. Enroll in the December 16 – January 15 stretch and coverage starts February 1, 2027 instead — a full month later.
This page is the hub for everything the 2027 season touches: the exact healthcare.gov open enrollment 2027 dates, what changed since last year (a lot), the income limits that decide your subsidy, how to enroll step by step, and the one habit — letting last year's plan auto-renew unexamined — that quietly costs households the most. New to how the ACA marketplace works? Start with our plain-English guide to what open enrollment is, then come back for the 2027 specifics.
FreedInsure LLC (NPN: 20230457) is an independent brokerage licensed in 42 states. We project your income, calculate your exact 2027 credit, compare every carrier in your county, and enroll you — 100% free, because carriers pay us, not you. Call (844) 788-3733.
Quick answer: Open enrollment 2027 runs November 1, 2026 – January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. Enroll by December 15, 2026 for coverage starting January 1, 2027; enroll December 16 – January 15 and coverage starts February 1, 2027. Subsidies are smaller this year — the enhanced credits expired and the 400% income cliff is back — so re-shopping your plan matters more than ever.
Healthcare.gov Open Enrollment 2027 Dates & Deadlines
Open enrollment for health insurance 2027 starts November 1, 2026 and ends January 15, 2027 in most states. The date that actually matters is earlier: December 15, 2026 is the cutoff for coverage that begins January 1 — miss it and your new plan can't start until February 1.
| Date | What Happens | Your Coverage Starts |
|---|---|---|
| October 15 – December 7, 2026 | Medicare Annual Enrollment — a separate system for 65+ (not ACA) | Medicare changes start January 1, 2027 |
| November 1, 2026 | ACA open enrollment 2027 begins on HealthCare.gov — browse, compare, and enroll | January 1, 2027 (if you enroll by Dec. 15) |
| December 15, 2026 | Deadline for January 1 coverage — the date to circle | January 1, 2027 |
| December 16 – January 15 | Late window — you can still enroll, but you lose a month | February 1, 2027 |
| January 15, 2027 | Marketplace open enrollment 2027 closes in most states | After this: qualifying life events only |
That December 16 – January 15 gap is the quiet trap of every season: enroll on December 20 and you spend all of January on last year's plan — or no plan at all. A handful of state-run exchanges set their own deadlines (a few run longer), so check your state's site if you don't use HealthCare.gov. For the full deadline mechanics and start-date rules, see our breakdown of when health insurance open enrollment 2027 starts and ends.
One date collision to avoid: Medicare Annual Enrollment runs October 15 – December 7, 2026 and is a completely separate system from the ACA marketplace. If you're 65 or older, your window is through medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE — not HealthCare.gov. Our side-by-side on ACA vs. Medicare enrollment dates untangles the two. And if you miss January 15 entirely, enrollment reopens only after a qualifying life event — the rules live in our Special Enrollment Period guide.
What Changed for ACA Plans in 2027?
The big one: the enhanced premium tax credits that supersized subsidies from 2021 through 2025 are gone, and under current law they are not coming back for 2027 — unless Congress acts. That means subsidies are smaller than they were in 2025, and the 400% FPL cliff is back: earn one dollar over the limit and your credit is $0.
For 2027 coverage, premium tax credits apply between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level: $15,960 to $63,840 for a single person, and roughly $33,000 to $132,000 for a family of four. Inside that range, you're expected to contribute between 2.15% and 10.22% of your income toward the benchmark Silver plan — the lower your income, the smaller your share. Below roughly 250% FPL, Cost-Sharing Reduction Silver plans still shrink deductibles; below about 138% FPL, Medicaid takes over in expansion states. The full bracket-by-bracket math lives in our 2027 ACA subsidy income limits chart.
Between smaller credits and changing premiums, many households will see a different bottom line than last year even if nothing about their plan changed — our explainer on why 2027 premiums are higher walks through the moving parts. The takeaway isn't panic; it's precision. The households that get hurt in 2027 are the ones that guess.
The $1 problem: at 400% of FPL — $63,840 for a single person — the subsidy stops cold. One extra dollar of projected income and the entire credit disappears. If your income hovers anywhere near the line, read how to stay under the 400% cliff before you enroll — and don't guess. A licensed advisor runs the math free: (844) 788-3733.
How Do I Enroll in a 2027 Marketplace Plan?
You can enroll three ways: directly at HealthCare.gov (or your state's exchange), through a licensed independent broker at no extra cost, or by phone. Whichever route you take, the work is the same: (1) project your 2027 household income accurately, (2) compare plans against your actual doctors and prescriptions — not just the premium — and (3) submit by December 15 so coverage starts January 1.
Not sure where you land? Our 60-second see-if-you-qualify checker estimates your credit before you touch an application. And because credits ride on income, step one deserves most of your attention this year — income re-verification matters more than ever with the cliff back.
💰 Project Income Carefully
Your entire subsidy rides on your 2027 income estimate — W-2, 1099, gig, everything. With the 400% cliff back, a sloppy guess isn't a rounding error; it can be the whole credit.
🔄 Re-Shop, Don't Renew
Premiums and credits both moved for 2027, so last year's best plan may not repeat. Here's how to switch marketplace plans without a coverage gap.
🩺 Check Doctors & Drugs
Networks and drug lists change every January. Two minutes confirming your doctor and prescriptions are covered beats a February surprise at the pharmacy counter.
📋 Gather Your Documents
Income proof, Social Security numbers, current plan details. Our open enrollment checklist 2027 lists everything so the application takes minutes, not evenings.
Self-employed or 1099? Your income projection is trickier and the timing rules hit harder — our self-employed open enrollment 2027 guide covers it. Or skip the homework: call (844) 788-3733 and a licensed advisor handles the whole enrollment in about 15 minutes — same plans, same prices as going direct.
The Auto-Renewal Trap: Why Doing Nothing Costs Money This Year
If you do nothing by December 15, most marketplace enrollees are automatically re-enrolled in the same or a similar plan for 2027. That sounds convenient. This year, it's the most expensive form of convenience on the shelf: auto-renewal carries last year's plan into this year's prices, with this year's smaller credits, using an income figure nobody re-checked.
Last year's plan at last year's assumptions can be this year's overpay — and with the cliff back, a stale income estimate can erase a credit entirely. The full decision framework is in should I let my health plan auto-renew, and it sits at the top of our list of open enrollment mistakes to avoid in 2027. Already past the deadline? Don't buy junk coverage out of panic — read what to do if you missed open enrollment first.
Straight talk: never let a health plan auto-renew without a 15-minute re-shop. Credits shrank, premiums changed, and the plan that won for you last year often isn't the plan that wins this year. Re-shopping costs $0 — HealthCare.gov is free, and brokers are paid by carriers, not by you. The only thing auto-renewal reliably saves is 15 minutes. Spend them: (844) 788-3733.
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