When is open enrollment for 2027 coverage?
HealthCare.gov open enrollment for 2027 runs from Nov. 1, 2026 through Jan. 15, 2027. The day a plan starts depends on the day you pick it.
| Plan picked | Coverage starts |
|---|---|
| By Dec. 15, 2026 | Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Dec. 16, 2026 to Jan. 15, 2027 | Feb. 1, 2027 |
CMS confirmed these dates in a statement on July 27, 2026. Check what you qualify for before the window opens, so the plan choice is the only thing left on Nov. 1.
Why didn’t the Dec. 15 deadline happen?
A 2025 CMS rule, the Marketplace Integrity and Affordability rule, would have shortened open enrollment for 2027 so that HealthCare.gov closed on Dec. 15. In City of Columbus v. Kennedy, a federal court in Maryland vacated that part of the rule on June 12, 2026. The government appealed. Until a court rules otherwise, the Jan. 15 end date stands, and Coverage Decider uses it in the 2027 numbers behind its results.
Do state-run marketplaces have different deadlines?
States that run their own marketplace can keep open enrollment open longer. Two have confirmed their 2027 windows:
| Marketplace | Open enrollment | Coverage on Jan. 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Covered California | Nov. 1, 2026 to Jan. 31, 2027 | Pick a plan by Dec. 31, 2026 |
| Get Covered New Jersey | Nov. 1, 2026 to Jan. 31, 2027 | See Get Covered New Jersey |
Residents of other state-run marketplaces should check that state’s site. Coverage Decider sends people in those states to their own marketplace rather than estimating.
What happens if you don’t pick a 2027 plan?
HealthCare.gov automatically re-enrolls current enrollees who do nothing, so coverage doesn’t lapse on Jan. 1. The federal rule, 45 CFR 155.335(j), sets the order:
- Same plan, if it is still offered through the Marketplace.
- A plan in the same product at the same coverage level, with the most similar network, if the plan ended.
- A different product from the same insurer, if the whole product ended.
A letter from the Marketplace says which plan you’ll have. Three dates matter for a renewal:
| Date | What it means |
|---|---|
| Dec. 15, 2026 | Last day to pick a different plan or update savings for a Jan. 1 start |
| Dec. 31, 2026 | Last day to log in and stop an unwanted renewal before it starts |
| Jan. 15, 2027 | Last day to change plans; the new plan starts Feb. 1 |
Why check a 2027 renewal instead of letting it roll over?
A 2027 renewal can look different from 2026 even in the same plan:
- The savings use what’s on file. HealthCare.gov asks enrollees to update expected income and household. With the enhanced credits gone, some households now pass the 400% subsidy cliff.
- Bronze stays bronze. A 2025 CMS rule ended the automatic move from bronze to silver for people who qualify for extra silver savings, so those enrollees have to switch themselves.
- Immigration status is rechecked. CMS guidance of Oct. 5, 2026 says an enrollee whose eligible status can’t be verified is re-enrolled on Jan. 1, 2027 without savings. Who can get the tax credit in 2027 lists the groups.
The $5 monthly charge on some $0 renewals applied to 2026 only, and a court vacated it.
What if you miss the Jan. 15 deadline?
After Jan. 15, enrolling takes a special enrollment period, usually within 60 days of a qualifying life event under 45 CFR 155.420:
- Losing other coverage: 60 days before or after the loss. Dropping coverage on purpose or for nonpayment does not count.
- Losing Medicaid or CHIP: 90 days.
- Getting married or moving: 60 days, and you generally need coverage for at least one of the 60 days before.
- Having or adopting a child: coverage can start on the date of the birth or adoption.
American Indians and Alaska Natives can enroll or change plans once a month. The monthly window for incomes under 150% of the poverty line is gone for 2027. Special enrollment periods in 2027 lists every window and what changed.
What should you do before Nov. 1?
- Estimate your 2027 household income. The tax credit is based on it, and in 2027 any credit you get beyond what you qualify for is paid back in full at tax time. The 2027 federal poverty level chart shows where your income falls, and the subsidy cliff where the credit stops.
- See whether Medicaid, your job’s plan or a tax credit fits your household with Coverage Decider’s questions.
- If anyone in your household isn’t a citizen, update their immigration status when you renew. From Jan. 1, 2027, the tax credit goes only to citizens, green card holders and a few other groups.
- List your doctors and regular prescriptions, so you can check each plan’s network when 2027 plans post.
- Mark Dec. 15 on your calendar for coverage that starts Jan. 1.
How Coverage Decider calculates explains the rules and sources behind every estimate.