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2027 Open Enrollment: November 1 to January 15
Open enrollment for 2027 Marketplace coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. December 15 is the deadline for coverage that starts January 1.
Open enrollment for 2027 Marketplace coverage runs November 1, 2026 – January 15, 20271. Enrolling by December 15, 20261 starts coverage on January 1, 2027. Enrolling after that date starts coverage on February 1, 2027.
These are the HealthCare.gov dates. They appear beside every other dated obligation on the money calendar.
The four dates
HealthCare.gov’s dates page states each one in a single line.
| Date | What it is |
|---|---|
| November 1, 2026 | “Open Enrollment starts — first day you can enroll in, renew, or change health plans through the Marketplace for the coming year.” |
| December 15, 2026 | “Last day to enroll in or change plans for coverage to start January 1.” |
| January 1, 2027 | “Coverage starts for those who enroll in or change plans by December 15 and pay their first premium.” |
| January 15, 2027 | “Open Enrollment ends — last day to enroll in or change Marketplace health plans for the year.” |
A fifth line completes the sequence: “February 1: Coverage starts for those who enroll in or change plans December 16 through January 15 and pay their first premium.”
The December date is a start-date deadline, not a closing date
The window does not end in December. December 15, 2026 decides only whether coverage begins on January 1 or on February 1. An application completed on January 10, 2027 is still inside open enrollment; it produces a plan that starts on February 1, 2027 and leaves January uncovered.
That distinction is worth checking against anything you read elsewhere, because the December date and the closing date are often reported as the same thing.
Paying the first premium is part of the deadline
Both start-date lines carry the same condition: coverage starts for those who enroll “and pay their first premium”. An enrollment completed inside the window without a first payment does not produce coverage on the start date.
What the window covers
The same window covers three actions, which the November 1 line names together: to “enroll in, renew, or change health plans through the Marketplace for the coming year”. Renewing an existing plan and moving to a different one both sit inside it, and January 15, 2027 is the last day either can be done for the 2027 plan year. The closing line describes the choice as being made “for the year”, so it is an annual decision rather than a monthly one.
Outside the window
Between the close of one open enrollment and the opening of the next, coverage is available through a special enrollment period. HealthCare.gov states it as: “Get coverage between January 16 and October 31 if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period due to a life event.”
Losing job-based coverage is one of those events, and it opens 60 days after (and up to 60 days before) losing job-based coverage2. The special enrollment page covers that window and the COBRA rule that sits inside it.
When does open enrollment start for 2027 coverage?
November 1, 2026. That is the first day to enroll in, renew or change a plan through HealthCare.gov for the 2027 plan year, and the window runs to January 15, 2027.
What is the deadline for coverage starting January 1?
December 15, 2026, together with payment of the first premium. HealthCare.gov’s line is “Last day to enroll in or change plans for coverage to start January 1.”
When does coverage start if I enroll after December 15?
February 1, 2027. The page states that coverage starts on that date “for those who enroll in or change plans December 16 through January 15 and pay their first premium.”
When does open enrollment end?
January 15, 2027 for the federal Marketplace. After that date, enrollment requires a special enrollment period tied to a qualifying life event.
Can I change plans during open enrollment?
Yes. The window covers enrolling, renewing and changing plans, so an existing enrollee can move to a different plan for the coming year within the same dates.
Do state Marketplaces use the same dates?
Not always. These dates are HealthCare.gov’s. Several states run their own Marketplace and publish their own calendar, so the exchange serving your state is the authority on its own deadlines.
Can I enroll outside open enrollment?
Only with a qualifying life event. HealthCare.gov’s dates page describes coverage between January 16 and October 31 as available to those who qualify for a special enrollment period due to a life event.
Does the 400% income limit apply for 2027?
Yes. The applicable percentage table the IRS published for 2027 still stops at 400% of the federal poverty line, which the 400% subsidy cliff page sets out with the legislative position behind it.
Open the Health insurance calculator →Sources
Information, not advice. This is the reading version; the interactive calculator and the full page are at https://thresholds.pages.dev/health-insurance/open-enrollment/.