ACA Open Enrollment 2027 runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov, with December 15 as the deadline for coverage starting January 1. Insurers proposed a median 15% premium increase for 2027, and the enhanced subsidies that expired in 2025 have not been restored, so the 400% poverty-level subsidy cliff ($63,840 for one person) is back.
ACA Open Enrollment 2027 – Introduction
ACA Open Enrollment 2027 opens on November 1, 2026 for most Americans, and it opens into a market under pressure. KFF’s analysis of 276 insurers found a median proposed premium increase of 15% for 2027, after a median finalized increase of 20% for 2026. Enhanced premium tax credits expired on December 31, 2025, and 2026 sign-ups fell from a record 24.3 million to 23.1 million. Effectuated enrollment, which counts people who paid, dropped 12% to 19.2 million by February 2026.
Dates are settled. A federal rule that would have ended HealthCare.gov enrollment on December 15 was challenged in court and vacated, so the window runs to January 15, 2027. State exchanges set their own deadlines, and several run to January 31. This report collects the latest verified dates, premiums, subsidy rules and enrollment numbers as of October 26, 2026. Proposed rates are not final, and each table names its source.
Interesting Facts About ACA Open Enrollment 2027
HEALTHCARE.GOV AND STATE OPEN ENROLLMENT LENGTH (1 block = 5 days)
Idaho (Oct 15-Dec 15) | ████████████ 62 days
HealthCare.gov (Nov 1-Jan 15)| ███████████████ 76 days
Virginia (Nov 1-Jan 29) | ██████████████████ 90 days
California, NY, NJ, DC | ██████████████████ 92 days
Massachusetts (Oct 23-Jan 23)| ███████████████████ 93 days
| Fact | 2027 Data |
|---|---|
| HealthCare.gov open enrollment | November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 |
| Deadline for January 1, 2027 coverage on HealthCare.gov | December 15, 2026 |
| Median proposed 2027 premium increase (KFF) | 15% |
| Range of proposed 2027 increases | -1% to +54% |
| Median finalized 2026 premium increase | 20% |
| Subsidy cliff for one person, 2027 coverage | $63,840 (400% of poverty) |
| Maximum out-of-pocket limit, individual | $12,000 (up from $10,600) |
| 2026 sign-ups (CMS) | 23.1 million (2025: 24.3 million) |
| Insurers exiting for 2027 | 7, including Cigna in 11 states |
Source: HealthCare.gov and CMS; KFF, How Much and Why ACA Marketplace Premiums Are Going Up in 2027 (updated August 3, 2026); IRS Revenue Procedure 2026-26; Commonwealth Fund and MedicalDaily (October 2026).
The table shows a market with stable dates and shifting costs. Federal enrollment lasts 76 days, from November 1 through January 15, and state exchanges run longer, up to 93 days in Massachusetts. Premiums are the pressure point, with a 15% median proposed increase, a range from a 1% cut to a 54% rise, and a $12,000 out-of-pocket maximum for individuals.
Coverage and subsidies are narrower. The $63,840 cliff for one person means a household earning one dollar more gets no federal credit. 23.1 million people selected plans for 2026, but far fewer kept paying. Seven insurers are leaving, and Cigna exits 11 states, so some enrollees will need to choose a new plan to keep coverage.
ACA Open Enrollment 2027 Dates: Key Deadlines on HealthCare.gov
HEALTHCARE.GOV 2027 ENROLLMENT TIMELINE (days from November 1, 2026)
Nov 1 | ▏ Open enrollment begins (day 0)
Dec 15 | █████████ Deadline for January 1 coverage (day 44)
Jan 1 | ████████████ Coverage starts (day 61)
Jan 15 | ███████████████ Open enrollment ends (day 75)
Feb 1 | ██████████████████ Coverage start for late enrollees (day 92)
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| October 15, 2026 | Medicare annual enrollment period opens (ends December 7) |
| Late October 2026 | HealthCare.gov plan preview opens |
| November 1, 2026 | ACA Open Enrollment begins on HealthCare.gov and most state exchanges |
| December 15, 2026 | Last day to enroll for coverage that starts January 1, 2027 |
| January 1, 2027 | Coverage starts for people who enrolled by December 15 and paid |
| January 15, 2027 | Open enrollment ends on HealthCare.gov |
| February 1, 2027 | Coverage starts for plans selected from December 16 to January 15 |
Source: HealthCare.gov and CMS; CMS confirmation of 2027 federal marketplace dates after the shorter-window rule was vacated (October 2026); Medicare.gov.
The federal window runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Shoppers who enroll or change plans by December 15 and pay the first premium start coverage on January 1. Anyone who enrolls from December 16 to January 15 starts on February 1, which leaves a 31-day gap with no coverage if the old plan ends December 31. CMS confirmed the dates after months of uncertainty.
A federal rule would have cut HealthCare.gov enrollment to end on December 15, and it also required state exchanges to end by December 31. Courts blocked and then vacated it, so older timetables are gone. Medicare’s separate enrollment period closes first, on December 7. People who already have an ACA plan are usually re-enrolled automatically, but a plan with a higher price or a changed network may not suit them.
ACA Open Enrollment 2027 State Deadlines: Where Dates Differ
LAST DAY OF OPEN ENROLLMENT IN JANUARY, BY EXCHANGE (1 block = 1 day of January)
HealthCare.gov and most states | ███████████████ Jan 15
Massachusetts | ███████████████████████ Jan 23
Virginia | █████████████████████████████ Jan 29
California, NJ, NY, DC, RI | ███████████████████████████████ Jan 31
| State or Exchange | 2027 Open Enrollment | Deadline for January 1 Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| HealthCare.gov states | November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 | December 15, 2026 |
| California (Covered California) | November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027 | December 31, 2026 |
| New York (NY State of Health) | November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027 | Check exchange |
| New Jersey | November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027 | December 31, 2026 |
| District of Columbia | November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027 | December 15, 2026 |
| Massachusetts | October 23, 2026 to January 23, 2027 | December 23, 2026 |
| Virginia | November 1, 2026 to January 29, 2027 | Check exchange |
| Rhode Island | November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027 | December 31, 2026 |
| Maryland | November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 | December 31, 2026 |
| Washington | November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 | December 31, 2026 |
| Georgia (Georgia Access) | November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 | December 15, 2026 |
| Colorado, Illinois, Pennsylvania | November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 | Check exchange |
| Idaho | October 15, 2026 to December 15, 2026 | Not reported in sources reviewed |
Source: CMS State-based Marketplace list; Healthinsurance.org (October 2026); Obamacarefacts.com (checked October 15, 2026); state exchange sites. Sources conflict on several state deadlines, so confirm with your exchange.
Most states follow HealthCare.gov and close on January 15. California, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia run to January 31, Virginia to January 29, and Massachusetts opens October 23 and closes January 23. Idaho runs October 15 to December 15. About 27 states use HealthCare.gov, and 23 states plus D.C. run their own exchanges.
The cutoff for January 1 coverage varies even more. California, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington and Rhode Island accept plan selections through December 31 for a January 1 start, Massachusetts uses December 23, and Georgia and D.C. use December 15. Reports conflict on a few states, such as Washington’s end date. The only date that works everywhere is December 15, so use it as the planning deadline.
ACA Premium Increases 2027: KFF Rate Filing Analysis
MEDIAN ACA PREMIUM INCREASE, PROPOSED AND FINALIZED (1 block = 1 percentage point)
2026 proposed | ██████████████████ 18%
2026 finalized | ████████████████████ 20%
2027 proposed | ███████████████ 15%
Highest 2027 request | ██████████████████████████████████████████████████████ 54%
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Median proposed 2027 increase (276 insurers, 50 states and DC) | 15% |
| Lowest proposed 2027 change | -1% |
| Highest proposed 2027 increase | 54% |
| Median proposed 2026 increase | 18% |
| Median finalized 2026 increase | 20% |
| Average monthly premium payment, 2025 | $113 |
| Average monthly premium payment, 2026 | $178 (+58%) |
| Average deductible, 2026 | $3,786 (+37%) |
| Enrollees with a subsidy, 2026 | 87% |
| Insurers exiting for 2027 | 7 |
Source: Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker and KFF (August 3-4, 2026); CNBC (October 2, 2026); MedicalDaily (October 2026).
KFF found a median proposed increase of 15% across 276 insurers, ranging from a 1% cut to a 54% rise. It is the second-highest request since 2018, behind the 18% median proposed for 2026, which regulators raised to 20% at the final stage. Insurers cited rising medical prices, inflation, the expired enhanced credits and a sicker risk pool. They added about 4 points to rates for expected enrollment declines.
What enrollees paid already jumped. The average monthly premium payment rose 58%, from $113 to $178, as enhanced credits ended in 2026, and the average deductible hit $3,786, up 37%. About 87% of 2026 enrollees received a subsidy, which cushions list-price increases because credits track the benchmark silver plan. Seven insurers are leaving for 2027, so some enrollees in about 20 states must pick a new plan.
ACA Subsidies 2027: Income Limits, the 400% Cliff and Applicable Percentages
SHARE OF INCOME EXPECTED FOR BENCHMARK SILVER PLAN (1 block = 0.5 percentage points)
Lowest income band, 2027 | ████ 2.15%
200% of poverty | ██████████████ 6.78%
300%-400% of poverty, 2026 | ████████████████████ 9.96%
300%-400% of poverty, 2027 | ████████████████████ 10.22%
| Metric | 2027 Figure |
|---|---|
| Premium tax credit eligibility range | 100% to 400% of poverty |
| 100% of poverty, one person (2026 guidelines) | $15,960 |
| 400% of poverty, one person | $63,840 |
| 400% of poverty, two people | $86,560 |
| 400% of poverty, family of four | $132,000 |
| Applicable percentage range, 2027 | 2.15% to 10.22% |
| Applicable percentage range, 2026 | 2.10% to 9.96% |
| Expected contribution at 400% of poverty (one person) | About $544 a month |
| Maximum out-of-pocket limit, individual / family | $12,000 / $24,000 |
| Out-of-pocket limit, 2026 | $10,600 / $21,200 |
| Cap on repaying excess advance credits | None (from tax year 2026) |
Source: IRS Revenue Procedure 2026-26; CMS 2027 payment notice; HealthCare Insider and VS Health Benefits (October 2026); monthly contribution calculated.
The original subsidy rules are back. Credits go to households between 100% and 400% of poverty, which is $15,960 to $63,840 for one person and up to $132,000 for a family of four. Above that line, the credit is zero. The 2027 applicable percentages run 2.15% to 10.22%, up from 2.10% to 9.96% in 2026, and the 300% to 400% band pays a flat 10.22%. A single person at 400% of poverty should expect to pay about $544 a month for the benchmark plan.
Risk has grown too. Starting with tax year 2026, filers must repay all excess advance credits, with no cap. The maximum out-of-pocket limit rises 13% to $12,000 for an individual and $24,000 for a family. Starting January 1, 2027, many lawfully present immigrants, including TPS holders, lose credit eligibility, while green card holders keep it. Estimating income carefully matters more than before.
ACA Enrollment Trends 2026: Plan Selections, Effectuated Enrollment and Coverage Losses
ACA MARKETPLACE ENROLLMENT (1 block = 0.5 million people)
2025 plan selections | █████████████████████████████████████████████████ 24.3M
2026 plan selections | ██████████████████████████████████████████████ 23.1M
February 2025 effectuated | ████████████████████████████████████████████ 21.8M
February 2026 effectuated | ██████████████████████████████████████ 19.2M
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| 2025 open enrollment plan selections (record) | 24.3 million |
| 2026 open enrollment plan selections | 23.1 million (-1.2 million) |
| February 2025 effectuated enrollment | 21.8 million |
| February 2026 effectuated enrollment | 19.2 million (-12%) |
| Decline in new-consumer enrollment, 2026 | 13% |
| Decline in total individual-market enrollment, 2026 | 18% |
| CBO projected decline after credits expired | About 25% |
| States where enrollment fell in 2026 | Every state except New Mexico |
Source: CMS; KFF, Individual Market Enrollment Continues to Fall Through Mid-2026 (October 2026); KFF, How Has ACA Marketplace Enrollment Changed Across States in 2026?
Sign-ups fell 5% in 2026, from 24.3 million to 23.1 million, but payments told the harder story. Effectuated enrollment, measured after the grace period ended on May 15, 2026, dropped 12%, from 21.8 million to 19.2 million. New-consumer enrollment fell 13%. Total individual-market enrollment fell 18%, closer to the Congressional Budget Office’s projection of a roughly 25% drop.
The decline reached nearly every state. New Mexico was the only state where enrollment held, because it replaced the expired credits with state funds. KFF warns enrollment may keep shrinking in 2027 as higher premiums reach consumers, and that healthier people leave first, which raises costs for those who stay. The 15% proposed increase already includes about 4 points for that effect.
Key ACA Changes for 2027: Insurer Exits, HSA Rules and Immigrant Eligibility
INSURERS LEAVING THE MARKETPLACE FOR 2027 (1 block = 1 state)
Cigna | ███████████ 11 states
Other six insurers| ██████ 1 state each, about 20 states in total affected
| Change | Detail for 2027 |
|---|---|
| Insurers exiting | Baylor Scott & White, CareSource, Cigna, Medica, Mending, PacificSource, Providence |
| Cigna | Leaves 11 states |
| Bronze and catastrophic plans | Qualify with health savings accounts |
| HSA contribution limit, self-only / family | $4,500 / $9,000 |
| Premium tax credit eligibility for TPS holders and similar groups | Ends January 1, 2027 |
| Green card holders, Cuban and Haitian entrants, COFA citizens | Remain eligible |
| Cap on repaying excess advance credits | Removed |
| Enhanced subsidies | Expired; no extension enacted as of September 2026 |
Source: Commonwealth Fund and MedicalDaily (October 2026); IRS; CMS; Carson Health Advisor and VS Health Benefits (2026).
Seven insurers are leaving, and their exits require enrollees in about 20 states to choose a new plan. Cigna leaves 11 states. Keeping a plan after an exit is not automatic, so people who ignore renewal notices may be moved to a different insurer. Premium and network changes mean it is worth comparing plans before December 15.
Several rules changed. Bronze and catastrophic plans can now pair with health savings accounts, with 2027 contribution limits of $4,500 for individuals and $9,000 for families. Many lawfully present immigrants lose eligibility for credits on January 1, 2027. As of September 2026, Congress had not extended the enhanced credits. Any later law could change subsidy rules for 2027, so check the latest status before you enroll.
ACA Open Enrollment 2027 FAQ
When is ACA open enrollment for 2027?
November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. Some state exchanges run later, through January 31.
What is the deadline to get coverage starting January 1, 2027?
December 15, 2026 on HealthCare.gov. Some state exchanges accept enrollments through December 31 for a January 1 start.
What happens if I enroll after December 15?
Coverage starts February 1, 2027 if you enroll between December 16 and January 15 and pay your first premium.
Did the open enrollment deadline change to December 15?
No. A federal rule would have ended HealthCare.gov enrollment on December 15, but it was vacated in court. The window runs to January 15.
How much are ACA premiums going up in 2027?
Insurers proposed a median 15% increase, according to KFF’s analysis of 276 insurers. Requests range from a 1% cut to a 54% increase.
Are the enhanced ACA subsidies coming back in 2027?
Not under current law. They expired on December 31, 2025, and no extension had become law as of September 2026.
What is the ACA subsidy cliff in 2027?
400% of the federal poverty level, or $63,840 for one person and $132,000 for a family of four. Above it, there is no premium tax credit.
How much will I pay for a benchmark plan in 2027?
Between 2.15% and 10.22% of income, depending on your poverty level. At 400% of poverty, a single person pays about $544 a month.
What is the maximum out-of-pocket limit for 2027?
$12,000 for an individual and $24,000 for a family, up from $10,600 and $21,200 in 2026.
How many people enrolled in ACA plans in 2026?
23.1 million selected plans, down from 24.3 million. About 19.2 million had paid coverage in February 2026.
Which insurers are leaving the ACA marketplace in 2027?
Baylor Scott & White, CareSource, Cigna, Medica, Mending, PacificSource and Providence. Cigna leaves 11 states.
What if I earn more than 400% of poverty?
You get no federal premium tax credit, and you pay the full plan price. Some states offer their own help. New Mexico is the only state that fully replaced the expired enhanced credits.
Can I still change plans after open enrollment ends?
Only with a special enrollment period, such as losing other coverage, moving, or certain life events. Marketplace rules limit who qualifies.
Do I have to repay excess subsidies in 2027?
Yes. Starting with tax year 2026, there is no cap on repaying excess advance premium tax credits.
Who loses ACA subsidy eligibility on January 1, 2027?
Many lawfully present immigrants, including TPS holders. Green card holders, Cuban and Haitian entrants and COFA citizens remain eligible.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
