10 Things To Know about Open Enrollment for 2027

This guide is for anyone who doesn’t have access to affordable health coverage through an employer. So, if you’re a 1099 worker (including self-employed or a gig worker) or if you’re between jobs, this post is for you. 

1. What is Open Enrollment?

The Open Enrollment Period, more commonly known as OEP, is the one time of year that you can buy or change your health insurance unless you experience a qualifying life event.

2. Who does Open Enrollment on marketplaces apply to?

OEP on federal or state-run marketplaces are mainly for people who aren’t covered by Medicaid, Medicare, or a parent’s health plan. You can still enroll if you have access to job-based coverage, but you likely won’t qualify for savings if the plan is considered affordable. So, for most people with a solid employer plan, sticking with that plan is the better deal.

3. When is Open Enrollment?

For the federal marketplace and many state-run marketplaces, OEP starts November 1, 2026 and ends December 15, 2026 for plans that start as early as January 1, 2027, giving you six weeks to choose a health plan and get signed up. For plans with a later coverage start date, OEP does run through January 15, 2027.

4. What can I expect for Open Enrollment 2027?

The original ACA premium tax credits (which help eligible households lower their payments towards premiums) are still in place. Many people still qualify for real savings,  especially those without access to employer coverage.

Additionally, plans will continue to cover all the essential health benefits you’d look for in a health plan, such as emergency services, preventative care, prescription drugs, and more. 

That said, premiums are higher this year for most marketplace shoppers. And the enhanced premium tax credits (which allowed more households to be eligible for the premium tax credit and provided larger subsidies to eligible households) expired in January 2026. 

KFF, an independent source for health policy news, estimates that the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credit combined with an increase in premiums charged by insurers means that ACA marketplace enrollees will pay about $780 more than last year (a 58% increase).

5. Where can I buy my health insurance?

You can buy health insurance directly through  HealthCare.gov or your state’s own exchange, depending on where you live. 

Most states use the federal marketplace at HealthCare.gov, but about 20 states (plus Washington, D.C.) run their own exchange instead. Use the links above to choose your state of residence and find the marketplace in your state.  

6. Which states have extended enrollment windows?

Some states have different windows of dates available to buy health insurance. If you live in California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or Washington, use this link to take note of the enrollment window.

7. Do I have to sign up for all types of insurance during Open Enrollment?

No. Open Enrollment only applies to health insurance.

However, many people choose to enroll in dental, vision, disability, life, and accident insurance during OEP in order to protect their entire physical and financial wellbeing all at once. Stride makes it easy to buy most of these at the same time.

8. How am I going to afford health insurance?

Subsidies (financial assistance) are offered to help people afford health insurance. These come  in the form of an advance premium tax credit when you enroll in Marketplace insurance if you are eligible. Eligibility depends on your household income at the time you apply for Marketplace insurance. If your actual income reported on your taxes is higher than when you applied for insurance you may have to pay back some of the advance premium tax credit at tax time.  If your income is lower you may be eligible for more premium tax credit at tax time.

Because the enhanced subsidies have lapsed, it’s more important than ever to run your specific numbers rather than assume you’ll qualify for the same discount as in past years. Also, if you have access to affordable employer coverage, you generally won’t qualify for a subsidy at all.

9. What if I already have a plan from last year?

If you purchased health insurance during last year’s OEP, you will be automatically re-enrolled for next year. 

You should be aware that insurers often change their plans a bit from year to year. This is especially true in 2027. Several insurers have left the marketplaces, so your old plan may not exist.

If you don’t review your coverage during Open Enrollment, you may see your monthly health payments increase, your doctor may stop accepting your plan, or your prescriptions may no longer be covered. You should also make sure you update your income and household information since that information impacts how much subsidy you could receive.

Make it a habit to review your plan each year to make sure it still meets your needs. Also, check to see whether other plans have been added to your area. You could find an even better deal than your current plan  offers, but you won’t know unless you look.

10. Why does Open Enrollment exist?

OEP restricts when you can buy health insurance in order to maintain a needed balance for health insurance companies. By constraining the time period in which you can purchase health insurance, the amount of money going into and coming out of insurance companies’ pockets remains relatively balanced. This allows insurance companies to maintain a balanced pool of sick and healthy people, keeping the marketplaces stable.

The amount individuals pay in premiums works to counteract the money insurance companies are paying out towards claims. If people could sign up for insurance at any point, this balance wouldn’t exist and would cause an unhealthy disruption within the health insurance industry.