Quick Answer: Two Dates, Not One

On HealthCare.gov, Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage runs Nov. 1, 2026 to Jan. 15, 2027, but Dec. 15 is the last day to start coverage on Jan. 1.

State-run exchanges set their own end dates. Check yours below.

Why you keep seeing Dec. 15: A rule that would have ended Open Enrollment on Dec. 15 was struck down by a federal court in June 2026. Many sites have not updated.

Find your state’s deadlines and whether you must act →

Warning: Doing nothing this year is riskier. Premiums rose again, some insurers are leaving, and excess subsidies must now be repaid in full at tax time. See what happens if you do nothing →

• Your state
• Do nothing?
• Insurer leaving
• Missed it?

Dates verified on HealthCare.gov and on state exchange or government pages on Nov. 2, 2026. Dates we could not confirm are marked “Check.” Court status as of Nov. 2, 2026.

The 2027 Key Dates (HealthCare.gov)

On HealthCare.gov, 2027 Open Enrollment runs Nov. 1, 2026 through Jan. 15, 2027, and Dec. 15 is only the cutoff for coverage that starts Jan. 1.

Coverage does not start until your first premium is paid. Choosing a plan by Dec. 15 but paying late can push back your start date.

Why So Many Sites Say Dec. 15

Many sites print Dec. 15 as the last day because a 2025 federal rule would have made it so, and a court threw that part of the rule out on June 12, 2026.

What the 2025 rule would have done

The Marketplace Integrity and Affordability rule (90 Fed. Reg. 27,074, published June 25, 2025) would have shortened Open Enrollment starting with 2027 coverage. State exchanges would have had to finish by Dec. 31. HealthCare.gov would have ended on Dec. 15.

What the court did

On June 12, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland ruled in City of Columbus v. Kennedy (No. 25-cv-2114) and vacated the shortened Open Enrollment provision.

The order also vacated the $5 charge on auto re-enrolled $0-premium enrollees on HealthCare.gov and most of the other provisions the plaintiffs challenged. One provision, the premium adjustment method, was upheld.

What happens next

The government filed a notice of appeal to the Fourth Circuit on July 16, 2026 (Fourth Circuit No. 26-1938). As of Nov. 2, 2026 we found no appeals-court ruling. HealthCare.gov lists Jan. 15 as the end date.

A second case, Columbus II, produced a July 16, 2026 order that stayed eight provisions of the 2027 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters nationwide. They include ending standardized plans and expanding catastrophic-plan eligibility.

Idaho and Vermont set earlier end dates on their own exchanges. See Table 2.

Court status as of Nov. 2, 2026. Litigation can change quickly. Sources: SHVS litigation tracker (July 24, 2026), CMS and court filings.

Deadlines in States With Their Own Exchange

Twenty-one states and D.C. run their own exchange, and their dates can differ from HealthCare.gov’s, so check your exchange before you rely on Dec. 15 or Jan. 15.

The other 29 states use the HealthCare.gov dates in Table 1. Arkansas runs its own exchange arrangement but enrolls through HealthCare.gov.

Oregon moved off HealthCare.gov on Nov. 1, 2026 and now enrolls through its own platform, Explore Health.

Use the checker above for your state, or open the full table.

What Happens If You Do Nothing

If you do nothing, you are usually re-enrolled in the same plan, or a similar one if yours ends, and your subsidy is recalculated from the information on file.

What automatic re-enrollment does

HealthCare.gov re-enrolls current Marketplace customers so they do not have a gap in coverage. You get a letter saying whether it is the same plan or a different one. Costs can still change.

You can switch by Dec. 15 for a Jan. 1 start, or until Jan. 15 for a Feb. 1 start.

Why it is riskier this year

1. Prices moved. The average benchmark silver premium is up about 13% for 2027, so the same plan may cost more even after your credit.
2. Your insurer may be leaving. Your plan could end Dec. 31, 2026, and the plan you are matched to may not include your doctors.
3. Your subsidy rests on old information. If the income or household on file is out of date, your advance credit may be too high or too low.
4. Mistakes cost more at tax time. Starting with tax year 2026, you repay the full excess advance credit. See the repayment section.

Looking ahead to 2028

On Oct. 23, 2026, HHS proposed a rule to carry out new pre-enrollment verification requirements. It would essentially end automatic re-enrollment with subsidies for most consumers beginning in 2028. Comments are due Nov. 27, 2026. It is a proposal, not a final rule.

Check that your account is active

In September 2026 HHS cancelled coverage for about 760,000 people it called “phantom” enrollees, meaning an agent or broker may have enrolled them without their knowledge. Some cancellations were reversed. Log in and confirm your coverage is active.

Why Your Premium Went Up Again

Premiums rose again mainly because the enhanced federal premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025 and insurers are pricing for a smaller, sicker pool of enrollees.

KFF reports the average benchmark silver premium is up 13% for 2027: 11% in HealthCare.gov states and 16% in state-based exchanges. That follows a 26% rise from 2025 to 2026 (KFF, Oct. 30, 2026).

Insurers had proposed a median increase of 15%. KFF puts the cumulative rise in the average benchmark silver premium from 2025 to 2027 at about 42%.

Who lost subsidies

With the enhanced credits gone, premium tax credits generally apply at 100% to 400% of the federal poverty level. Above 400%, there is no credit.

Enrollment is falling. Plan selections dropped by 1.2 million from 2025 to 2026, and the Congressional Budget Office projects Marketplace enrollment falling from 22.4 million in 2025 to 13.1 million in 2027.

For background, read our ACA subsidy cliff guide. To check where you land, use our 2027 income estimate guide.

If Your Insurer Is Leaving (Cigna and Others)

If your insurer is leaving the Marketplace, your plan ends Dec. 31, 2026, so choose a new plan yourself by your exchange’s Jan. 1 cutoff instead of waiting to be matched.

As of Oct. 28-29, 2026, KFF counts 11 carriers leaving at least one state and 7 entering a new state. Cigna is the largest exit, leaving all 11 states where it sells individual plans.

What to do, in order

1. Find your letter. It names the end date and your options. Insurers must give at least 90 days’ notice when they discontinue a product, and 180 days when they leave a state’s entire individual market (45 CFR 147.106). No letter? Check your account messages and call your insurer.
2. See how your exchange handles it. HealthCare.gov generally moves people into a similar plan from another insurer. State exchanges set their own rules. Boulder County’s enrollment center tells Cigna members in Colorado to pick a new plan themselves.
3. Check your doctors, hospitals and drugs in each new plan’s directory and drug list, then confirm with the office. Our guides on HMO vs. PPO and how health insurance works explain networks and costs.
4. Pick your own plan by Dec. 15 (or your state’s Jan. 1 cutoff in Table 2).
5. Pay your first premium by the due date so coverage starts.

Paying Back Subsidies: The Cap Is Gone

Starting with the 2026 tax year, you must repay the full amount of any excess advance premium tax credit, because the old repayment caps are gone.

Section 71305 of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act removed the caps for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2025. The first returns affected are 2026 returns filed in 2027. The old caps ranged roughly from $375 to $3,250.

You reconcile on Form 8962. If advance payments exceeded the credit you qualify for, the whole excess is added to your tax bill.

How it works

The full excess is repaid at any income. Where you land against 400% of the poverty level decides whether you qualify for the credit at all. It does not decide how much you repay.

Illustration, with invented numbers: you receive $4,000 in advance credits during the year, and your final income qualifies you for $2,500. You owe $1,500. Under the old rules a cap could have limited that bill.

How to lower the risk

1. Update your income and household in your Marketplace account whenever they change, not only in November.
2. Consider taking less of the credit in advance and claiming the rest at tax time. Ask your exchange how.
3. If your income swings, as for many self-employed people, read self-employed health insurance costs.
4. Estimate your income carefully with our 2027 income guide.
5. If you receive advance credits, file a tax return with Form 8962, even if you would not otherwise have to file.

This is general information, not tax advice. For your situation, ask a tax professional or a free tax-help program.

What Changed for 2027 and What Courts Blocked

For 2027, higher premiums, no enhanced credits, full repayment and insurer exits are in effect, while several federal rule changes remain blocked by courts as of Nov. 2, 2026.

We label each item with one of three tiers: IN EFFECT FOR 2027, BLOCKED BY COURT, or CHECK YOUR STATE.

Bronze, catastrophic and HSAs

Bronze and catastrophic plans are treated as HSA-compatible beginning Jan. 1, 2026 (IRS Notice 2026-5). See Bronze vs. Silver vs. Gold for 2027 for the cost math.

Immigration status and credits

Premium tax credits are limited to lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and residents of the Freely Associated States. Refugees, asylees and trafficking victims can still buy a plan without credits.

Medicaid work requirements

If you are denied or removed from Medicaid only because you did not meet a work requirement, you cannot get premium tax credits. Forty-three states and D.C. must start these requirements in 2027. Timing varies, so check your state.

Missed the Deadline? Your Options

If you miss the deadline, you can still get covered through a Special Enrollment Period, Medicaid or CHIP, or other routes, but you generally cannot buy a Marketplace plan until the next Open Enrollment.

1. Special Enrollment Period. Events such as losing job-based coverage, moving, marriage, or a new baby usually give you about 60 days. See adding a newborn.
2. Medicaid and CHIP. You can apply any time of year if you qualify.
3. COBRA. It keeps your job plan for a limited time, often at full cost. Read COBRA insurance explained.
4. No job. See health insurance without a job for every option.
5. Short-term plans. Use caution. They usually do not follow ACA rules, can exclude pre-existing conditions, and may not count as coverage under a state requirement.

Dropping a plan on your own, or missing a payment, usually does not open a Special Enrollment Period.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the questions readers ask most about the 2027 deadline, in plain terms.

When is the open enrollment deadline for 2027?

On HealthCare.gov, Open Enrollment ends Jan. 15, 2027. Dec. 15, 2026 is the last day to enroll for coverage that starts Jan. 1. State exchanges set their own dates, so check Table 2.

Is open enrollment Dec. 15 or Jan. 15?

Both dates matter. Dec. 15 is the cutoff for Jan. 1 coverage. Jan. 15 is the last day to enroll or change plans on HealthCare.gov, with coverage starting Feb. 1.

Was open enrollment shortened for 2027?

A federal rule would have shortened it, but a federal court vacated that provision on June 12, 2026, and the government has appealed. HealthCare.gov still lists Jan. 15. A few state exchanges set earlier end dates themselves, such as Idaho (Dec. 15) and Vermont (Dec. 28).

What happens if I enroll after Dec. 15?

On HealthCare.gov, enrolling Dec. 16 through Jan. 15 means coverage starts Feb. 1, so January may be uncovered. Some state exchanges have later Jan. 1 cutoffs, such as Dec. 31 in California, New Jersey and Washington.

What happens if I don’t do anything during open enrollment?

If you have Marketplace coverage, you are usually re-enrolled in the same plan or a similar one, and your subsidy is recalculated from the information on file. If you are uninsured, nothing happens and you stay uninsured.

Will I be automatically re-enrolled?

Usually yes if you have Marketplace coverage now. HealthCare.gov sends a letter saying whether it is the same plan or a different one. HHS has proposed rules that would end most automatic re-enrollment with subsidies starting in 2028, but they are not final.

What if my insurance company is leaving the Marketplace?

Your plan ends Dec. 31, 2026. Look for your discontinuation letter, check which plans include your doctors, and pick your own plan by your exchange’s Jan. 1 cutoff rather than waiting to be matched.

Is Cigna leaving the Marketplace in my state?

Cigna is leaving the individual market in all 11 states where it sells plans: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. If your state is not on that list, Cigna is not your Marketplace insurer.

Why did my premium go up for 2027?

The enhanced federal premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025, and insurers priced in a smaller, sicker pool of enrollees. KFF reports the average benchmark silver premium is up 13% for 2027, after 26% from 2025 to 2026.

Do I still get a subsidy in 2027?

Premium tax credits generally go to eligible people with income from 100% to 400% of the federal poverty level, and not above 400%. Immigration status also matters. Estimate your income with our 2027 ACA income guide.

Do I have to pay back my premium tax credit?

Yes, if the advance credits you received exceed the credit you qualify for. Starting with tax year 2026, you repay the full excess. The old repayment caps no longer apply.

Is there a penalty for not having health insurance in 2027?

There is no federal penalty. California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and D.C. have their own coverage requirements with penalties on the state tax return.

Can I get health insurance after Jan. 15?

Usually only with a Special Enrollment Period, such as after losing job-based coverage or moving. You can apply for Medicaid and CHIP at any time if you qualify.

What is a Special Enrollment Period?

It is a window outside Open Enrollment, triggered by an event such as losing coverage, moving, marriage, or having a baby. It is usually 60 days. Documents may be requested.

Do state exchanges have different deadlines?

Yes. Twenty-one states and D.C. run their own exchanges, and several have different Jan. 1 cutoffs and end dates. Use the checker above or Table 2.

Where can I get free help enrolling?

Call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 (TTY 1-855-889-4325), or find local help at HealthCare.gov/find-assistance. State exchanges also run their own help lines and certified assisters.

Sources

These are the primary sources behind the dates and figures above.

1. HealthCare.gov, Dates and deadlines and automatic re-enrollment
2. KFF, 9 Things to Watch for the 2027 ACA Open Enrollment Period (Oct. 30, 2026)
3. KFF, Tracking Insurer Participation Changes in 2027
4. SHVS, Litigation Status of Marketplace Rule Provisions (July 24, 2026), on City of Columbus v. Kennedy, No. 25-cv-2114 (D. Md.)
5. CMS, 2027 payment parameters guidance (out-of-pocket maximum)
6. Health Affairs Forefront, proposed pre-enrollment verification rule (Oct. 27, 2026)
7. IRS, About Form 8962
8. Each state exchange’s own Open Enrollment page, linked in Table 2