ACA Open Enrollment 2027: Dates & Deadlines
Open Enrollment for 2027 Marketplace health insurance starts November 1, 2026 in most states. Enroll by December 15, 2026 and your coverage starts January 1, 2027. The final deadline is unsettled this year — a court vacated the rule that would have ended enrollment December 15 — so the safest plan is simple: don't wait past December 15.
Key 2027 Open Enrollment dates
October 2026 — Early-start states open
A few state-run exchanges open before November: Idaho (Oct 15), Georgia (Oct 19), and Massachusetts (Oct 23).
November 1, 2026 — Open Enrollment starts in most states
HealthCare.gov and most state exchanges begin accepting 2027 enrollments.
December 15, 2026 — Enroll by this date for January 1 coverage
The one deadline that matters in every state: pick a plan by December 15 and your coverage starts January 1. In HealthCare.gov states this may also be the final deadline (see below).
January 1, 2027 — 2027 coverage begins
For everyone who enrolled by December 15.
Mid-January 2027 — Final deadline in many states — still in flux
A 2025 federal rule moved the final deadline to December 15, but a court vacated it in June 2026. Unless that changes on appeal, many states are expected to keep a January 15 deadline (coverage starting February 1). Check your state — and don’t count on it.
In June 2025, CMS finalized the Marketplace Integrity and Affordability rule, which shortened Open Enrollment: HealthCare.gov states would end December 15, and state-run exchanges could go no later than December 31.
In June 2026, a federal court vacated that provision. Unless the ruling is overturned on appeal, many states are expected to keep the January 15 deadline they have used since 2022, and some state exchanges (for example, Kentucky and Washington) have already said they will.
What this means for you: December 15 works in every scenario — it is the deadline for January 1 coverage everywhere, and possibly the last day to enroll at all in HealthCare.gov states. Treat anything later as a bonus, not a plan.
What's different when you shop for 2027
The subsidy cliff is back
The IRA-enhanced premium tax credits expired after 2025. Above 400% of the Federal Poverty Level there is no premium tax credit at all, and below it most people pay a larger share of income than in recent years. See how ACA subsidies work and the subsidy cliff visualized.
Auto-renewing is riskier than usual
Premiums and benchmark plans shift every year, and with smaller subsidies the difference between the cheapest and priciest similar plan is real money. Compare before you renew — it takes minutes, not hours.
Missed the window? Special Enrollment Periods
Outside Open Enrollment, you can only enroll if a qualifying life event gives you a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) — usually a 60-day window from the event. Common qualifying events:
- Losing job-based or other health coverage
- Moving to a new coverage area
- Getting married or divorced
- Having or adopting a baby
- Losing Medicaid or CHIP eligibility
- Leaving incarceration
Medicaid and CHIP are year-round — if your income is near or below your state's Medicaid threshold, you can apply any time.
Before you enroll: 10-minute checklist
- 1Estimate your household income for 2027. Your subsidy is based on next year’s expected income, not last year’s taxes.
- 2Know your FPL percentage. It determines your premium tax credit and Silver cost-sharing reductions.
- 3List your doctors and medications. Check they’re covered in a plan’s network and formulary before you commit.
- 4Compare at least the benchmark Silver and cheapest Gold. With 2026-era pricing, Gold sometimes costs less than Silver after subsidies.