ACA Open Enrollment 2026: Dates, Subsidies, and 2027 Costs

ACA Open Enrollment 2026 is the window to buy or change a Health Insurance Marketplace plan, also called Obamacare, and it sells coverage that starts in 2027. It opens November 1, 2026 and closes January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. More changed this year than usual: enhanced subsidies are gone, premiums are rising, and a court fight nearly moved the deadline.

Key Takeaways

• Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. Enroll by December 15 for coverage starting January 1.
• The enhanced premium tax credits expired January 1, 2026. For 2027, help is limited to incomes between 100% and 400% of the poverty line, $15,960 to $63,840 for one person.
• Insurers have proposed a median 15% premium increase for 2027, and the out-of-pocket maximum rises to $12,000 for an individual and $24,000 for a family.
• A federal rule to end Open Enrollment on December 15 was vacated in court in June 2026. The January 15 deadline stands for HealthCare.gov states.
• Do not let your plan auto-renew blindly. The average premium payment rose 58% in 2026 when the enhanced credits ended, and deductibles jumped 37% as people shifted to bronze.

When is ACA Open Enrollment 2026?

ACA Open Enrollment 2026 runs from November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027 in the 29 states that use HealthCare.gov. It is the window for buying a 2027 Marketplace plan. HealthCare.gov lists three dates that matter. November 1 is the first day to enroll in, renew, or change a plan. December 15 is the last day to pick a plan for coverage that starts January 1, 2027. January 15 is the last day of Open Enrollment, and coverage for late enrollees starts February 1. Coverage begins only after you pay your first premium. State-run marketplaces set their own calendars, and several have closed later than the federal date in recent years. California and New York closed January 31 and Massachusetts January 23. Outside the window, you need a qualifying life event, or Medicaid or CHIP eligibility, to get covered.

The name confuses people every fall. Searches for “ACA open enrollment 2026” and “open enrollment 2027” describe the same event. The window happens in late 2026, and the plans it sells start January 1, 2027. If a page says Open Enrollment “for 2026” ended January 15, 2026, it is describing last year’s window.

The Marketplace is also called Obamacare or the Exchange, and HealthCare.gov is its federal website. Every name points to the same thing: plans sold under the Affordable Care Act that qualify for premium tax credits. Employer plans, Medicare, and Medicaid run on different calendars, and the Medicare Open Enrollment window overlaps this one from October 15 to December 7.

Did the deadline move to December 15?

No, not for 2027 coverage. A 2025 federal rule, the Marketplace Integrity and Affordability rule, would have ended Open Enrollment on December 15 in HealthCare.gov states starting with this window. It also would have capped every state’s window at nine weeks. The rule never took effect for enrollment dates.

A federal court in Maryland, in City of Columbus v. Kennedy, stayed parts of the rule in August 2025. On June 12, 2026 it vacated most of the rest, including the shorter window. HHS appealed in July 2026, and CMS said in late July that HealthCare.gov will run November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, as in recent years.

The practical advice does not change: treat December 15 as your real deadline. It is the last day to lock in January 1 coverage. Once Open Enrollment closes, a life event is the only way to switch plans mid-year. Waiting until January means a month without coverage or a month at your old plan’s 2027 price.

Key ACA Open Enrollment dates and deadlines for 2027 coverage

Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, and December 15 is the cutoff for January 1 coverage. Federal dates below come from HealthCare.gov. State deadlines and the window-shopping date follow each marketplace’s recent pattern unless noted, so confirm your state’s 2027 date. The Medicare window is included because many households manage both.

Date	What happens	Who it applies to
October 15 to December 7, 2026	Medicare Open Enrollment, a separate program with its own rules	People with Medicare
Late October 2026 (typical)	Window shopping opens: preview 2027 plans and prices without an account	Everyone
November 1, 2026	Open Enrollment starts on HealthCare.gov and most state marketplaces (Massachusetts opens October 23)	Everyone
December 15, 2026	Last day to enroll or change plans for coverage starting January 1	HealthCare.gov states
January 1, 2027	Coverage starts for anyone who enrolled by December 15 and paid	Everyone
January 15, 2027	Open Enrollment ends on HealthCare.gov	HealthCare.gov states
January 23, 2027	Massachusetts Health Connector deadline (announced window October 23 to January 23; December 23 cutoff for January 1 coverage)	Massachusetts
January 31, 2027	Covered California and NY State of Health deadlines (recent-year pattern)	California, New York
February 1, 2027	Coverage starts for people who enrolled December 16 to January 15	HealthCare.gov states
January 16 to October 31, 2027	Special Enrollment Periods only, triggered by life events	Everyone

Three chart rows need a note. Window shopping is not an official date: HealthCare.gov has opened its preview in late October in recent years but had not posted a 2027 date as of early September. Massachusetts has announced its 2027 calendar; California and New York dates follow each marketplace’s recent pattern. Confirm your state’s date on its own site.

One platform change this fall: Oregon leaves HealthCare.gov. Starting November 1, 2026, Oregon residents shop and enroll through Explore Health, the state’s new marketplace, so 29 states remain on the federal site for 2027 coverage.

What happens if you do nothing?

Most people are re-enrolled automatically. If you do not act by December 15, HealthCare.gov generally keeps you in the same plan for 2027, or a similar one if yours is discontinued. It re-applies your premium tax credit using the income on file.

Auto-renewal caught many people off guard in 2026. When the enhanced credits expired, the same plan came back with a much bigger bill. KFF found the average monthly premium payment rose 58% in 2026, from $113 to $178. The share of enrollees getting a tax credit fell from 92% to 87%, the first drop since 2020.

Deductibles moved even more. KFF reports the average deductible jumped 37%, from $2,759 to $3,786. It was the steepest rise the market has seen, because so many people traded down to bronze plans to hold their premium flat. Doing nothing in 2026 rarely meant the same coverage at the same price, and 2027 starts from that higher base.

The other risk is your tax credit estimate. The Marketplace re-applies the income on file unless you update it, and a stale figure means a credit that is too big or too small, settled at tax time on Form 8962. Log in, update income and household size, and confirm the plan yourself.

Are ACA subsidies going away in 2027?

The enhanced subsidies are already gone; the original ones remain. Congress expanded premium tax credits in 2021 and extended them through 2025 under the Inflation Reduction Act. Those enhancements expired on January 1, 2026, after no extension passed in December 2025, according to the Congressional Research Service and ASTHO.

The House voted 230 to 196 on January 8, 2026 to restore the enhanced credits for three years, with 17 Republicans joining Democrats. The Senate has not passed that bill. A bipartisan Senate group has been working on a two-year version with minimum premiums and an income cap, but as of September 9, 2026 no restoration is law.

What “original rules” means in dollars: the credit caps what you pay for the benchmark silver plan at a share of income that rises with income. It stops entirely above 400% of the poverty line. The 2021 to 2025 enhancements removed that cliff and cut the share at every income level. Both are back for 2027 unless Congress acts.

At $63,840, one dollar of extra income removes the entire credit. Under the expired enhancements, that same person paid no more than 8.5% of income, and people above 400% got help for the first time. If Congress restores the credits late in the year, enroll now anyway; any difference is reconciled on your 2027 tax return.

What is the income limit for marketplace insurance in 2027?

For 2027 coverage, premium tax credits go to households with income between 100% and 400% of the 2026 federal poverty guidelines, per the IRS. HHS published those guidelines on January 15, 2026: $15,960 for one person in the 48 contiguous states and DC, plus $5,680 for each additional person. Alaska and Hawaii use higher figures.

Household size	100% FPL (minimum)	150% FPL (best silver savings)	250% FPL (silver savings end)	400% FPL (credit ends)
1	$15,960	$23,940	$39,900	$63,840
2	$21,640	$32,460	$54,100	$86,560
3	$27,320	$40,980	$68,300	$109,280
4	$33,000	$49,500	$82,500	$132,000
5	$38,680	$58,020	$96,700	$154,720
6	$44,360	$66,540	$110,900	$177,440

Income means modified adjusted gross income for the whole tax household, projected for 2027, not last year’s W-2. In the states that expanded Medicaid, income under 138% of poverty means Medicaid rather than a premium tax credit; the Medicaid income limits guide has every state’s cutoff.

In the 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid, per KFF’s count, most adults under 100% of poverty fall into a coverage gap: too poor for a premium tax credit and usually not eligible for Medicaid without a child or a disability. Apply anyway, because the single application screens every program, and community health centers charge on a sliding scale.

Between 100% and 250% of poverty, a silver plan also carries cost-sharing reductions that lower your deductible and copays, with the richest version under 150%. That is why counselors push silver for lower incomes even when bronze looks cheaper on the premium line. Above 250%, the silver discount disappears and the comparison is premium versus deductible.

How much will 2027 marketplace plans cost?

More, for the second year in a row. KFF’s August 3, 2026 analysis of 276 insurers in all 50 states and DC found a median proposed increase of 15% for 2027. That is the second-highest request since 2018, after a finalized 20% for 2026. State regulators approve final 2027 rates before Open Enrollment, and the final median can differ.

Insurers told regulators the drivers are rising prices for care, general inflation, and labor shortages. They also cite a sicker risk pool after the enhanced credits expired and healthier people dropped coverage. That last driver compounds: fewer healthy enrollees in 2026 pushes 2027 premiums up, which pushes more people out.

Item	2026	2027	Source
Median premium change	+18% proposed, +20% final	+15% proposed	KFF, Aug 2026
Out-of-pocket maximum, individual	$10,600	$12,000	CMS, Jan 29, 2026
Out-of-pocket maximum, family	$21,200	$24,000	CMS, Jan 29, 2026
Top share of income for benchmark silver (300% to 400% FPL)	9.96% (enhanced 8.5% cap ended)	10.22%	IRS Rev. Proc. 2026-26
Enhanced premium tax credits	Expired January 1, 2026	Not restored as of Sept 2026	CRS, ASTHO
Poverty guideline used, one person	$15,650 (2025)	$15,960 (2026)	HHS ASPE

The out-of-pocket maximum is the ceiling on deductibles, copays, and coinsurance for in-network care in one year. CMS set it at $12,000 for self-only coverage and $24,000 for a family in 2027, up 13.2% from 2026. A bronze plan can sit right at that ceiling, so a $12,000 bad year is a real number, not a theoretical one.

Premiums also vary far more by county than the national median suggests. The only price that matters is yours, which is why the checklist below starts with window shopping rather than headlines.

How many people signed up for ACA plans in 2026, and why did enrollment drop?

About 23 million people picked a 2026 Marketplace plan during Open Enrollment, per the CMS national snapshot published January 28, 2026. That includes 15.8 million through HealthCare.gov and 7.2 million through state marketplaces, with 3.4 million new customers. KFF puts the final total at 23.1 million, down from 24.2 million for 2025.

Signing up is not the same as staying covered. Effectuated enrollment, people who paid and held a plan, fell to 19.2 million in February 2026 from 22.1 million a year earlier. That 2.9 million drop, or 13%, is the largest since the Marketplaces opened in 2014. KFF projects 2026 average enrollment near 17.5 million, possibly as low as 16.5 million.

Why the gap? Price is the main answer. A KFF survey in late February and early March 2026 found 9% of people with 2025 Marketplace coverage were uninsured. Another 17% of returning enrollees were unsure they could afford the year’s premiums. Sign-ups were still 8% above 2024, so the market shrank from a record, not from a low.

What else changed for 2027 plans?

CMS finalized the 2027 payment rule on May 15, 2026, and re-finalized several pieces of the stayed 2025 rule. Then, on July 16, 2026, the same Maryland court stayed several of the new provisions before they took effect, including expanded Special Enrollment Period verification. Loss-of-coverage events are still checked, so keep the layoff letter handy.

What survived matters more for shoppers. The monthly Special Enrollment Period for people under 150% of poverty, which let low-income households enroll any month of the year, stays removed. If you are in that income band, Open Enrollment is your one shot unless a life event happens. Medicaid remains open year-round for those who qualify.

The rule also permanently drops the option for insurers to treat a slightly short premium payment as paid in full. Two other pieces, tighter income verification and losing advance credits for skipping reconciliation, are on hold under the court order for 2027. The filing duty has not changed: file your return and Form 8962 every year you take a credit.

Two planned changes did not survive. The shortened Open Enrollment and the $5 minimum premium for people auto-renewed into a zero-dollar plan were among the provisions the court vacated on June 12, 2026. HHS has appealed that ruling, so the rules could shift again after this window closes.

How to enroll in a 2027 marketplace plan step by step

1. Window shop in late October. HealthCare.gov’s plan preview shows 2027 plans and prices for your ZIP code without an account. Enter income and household size honestly; the estimate drives your credit.
2. Project 2027 income, not 2026. Use expected wages, self-employment profit, Social Security, and retirement withdrawals. Overstating income shrinks your monthly credit; understating it can mean repaying credits at tax time.
3. Check where you sit on the poverty table. Under 100% in an expansion state, apply for Medicaid. Between 100% and 250%, compare silver plans first for the cost-sharing reductions. Near 400%, know that a raise can erase the credit.
4. Compare total cost, not premium. Add 12 months of premium to the deductible and the out-of-pocket maximum. A bronze plan with a $12,000 ceiling can cost more in a bad year than silver with a $2,000 deductible.
5. Verify your doctors and drugs. Provider directories are often stale, so call the office and ask whether they take the specific 2027 plan. Check the formulary tier for every prescription you fill.
6. Enroll by December 15 and pay the first premium. Coverage does not start until the insurer receives payment. Save the confirmation number.
7. Report changes during the year. Income, marriage, a birth, or a move changes your credit. Updating as soon as it happens keeps the tax-time reconciliation small.

Free help exists. Marketplace Navigators and certified application counselors are listed on HealthCare.gov, and licensed agents can enroll you at no charge because the insurer pays their commission. Be wary of anyone selling a “health plan” that is not on the Marketplace. Short-term and indemnity products are not ACA coverage and do not qualify for credits.

What if you miss the January 15 deadline?

After January 15 you need a Special Enrollment Period. HealthCare.gov lists the qualifying events: losing other coverage, moving, getting married, having or adopting a child, and a few others. Most give you 60 days from the event to enroll, and coverage generally starts the first of the month after you pick a plan.

Two doors stay open all year. Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program accept applications any day. CHIP income limits reach well above Medicaid’s in most states, so a family earning too much for Medicaid may still cover the kids at little or no cost.

Turning 65 is the other exit. Once you are eligible for premium-free Medicare Part A, you generally lose eligibility for a premium tax credit, so time your Medicare sign-up carefully. The Part B premium for 2026 is $202.90 a month, and Medicare has its own enrollment windows and late penalties.

If your state runs its own marketplace, its window may run past January 15, so check the state site before assuming you missed it. Enrolling late still means coverage no earlier than February or March, and a gap month is a gap in which a hospital bill is entirely yours.

The bottom line on ACA Open Enrollment 2026

The window is November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, and December 15 is the date that gets you covered on January 1. The rules underneath changed more this year than in any year since 2021. The enhanced credits are gone, the 400% cliff is back, premiums are rising at double digits again, and the out-of-pocket ceiling hits $12,000.

That combination punishes autopilot. Window shop in late October, project 2027 income, compare silver if you qualify for cost-sharing reductions, and check total cost, not premium. If Congress restores the enhanced credits later, the difference is settled on your 2027 tax return. If not, you chose a plan you can afford as the rules stand.

Related reading

• Medicaid: who qualifies and how to apply
• CHIP: low-cost coverage for children
• Earned Income Tax Credit: the other credit to claim on the same return