Enroll by December 15 for January 1 coverage as HealthCare.gov opens 2027 enrollment

HealthCare.gov opened enrollment for 2027 coverage on November 1, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said it runs through January 15, 2027, according to the agency's Plan Year 2027 fact sheet. Coverage that starts on January 1 requires a plan choice by December 15.

What happened

CMS published the fact sheet on October 30. It said the open enrollment period to choose HealthCare.gov coverage for 2027 begins on November 1, 2026, and runs through January 15, 2027.

The dates inside that window matter for when coverage begins. HealthCare.gov lists December 15 as the last day to enroll in or change plans for coverage to start January 1. Those who enroll or change plans from December 16 through January 15 and pay their first premium get coverage that starts February 1.

After January 15, the site says, a person can enroll in or change plans only with a Special Enrollment Period, which depends on a qualifying life event such as moving, marriage or losing other coverage.

What CMS said about plans and prices

The fact sheet is the agency's own description of the 2027 market, and it gives shares and averages without the underlying data tables. CMS said more than 75% of people who buy coverage through HealthCare.gov will have access to premiums at or below $50 in 2027. The fact sheet does not say what that figure is measured against, such as a plan tier or an income level.

For enrollees eligible for premium tax credits, CMS said a plan will be available with nearly 90% of the lowest-cost premium paid by the federal government, compared with 85% in 2020. CMS described 2020 as the last year not affected by temporary COVID-19 policies.

CMS also said HealthCare.gov enrollees will have access to 100 plans on average and five to six insurance companies. Of those, an average of 35 plans are eligible for health savings accounts (HSAs), which allow tax-advantaged saving for medical costs.

Catastrophic plans, which CMS said offer co-pay-free preventive care and protections for people with pre-existing conditions, have a lowest-cost average premium nearly 10% below the next lowest-cost plan at other coverage levels.

The background: tax credit rules change in 2027

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Treasury Department issued proposed regulations on October 14 that put changes to the premium tax credit (PTC) into effect. The PTC is a refundable credit that helps eligible taxpayers afford coverage bought through the exchanges.

According to the IRS, the proposed rules restrict PTC eligibility to US citizens, US nationals and certain lawfully present noncitizens, and add new verification criteria for advance PTC payments. The IRS said the stricter eligibility standards apply beginning in 2027.

The IRS added that changes to exchange procedures needed to carry out the verification requirements are expected to be addressed in parallel proposed regulations from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The release does not give a date for those rules.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in the IRS release that the proposed rules "implement the common-sense reforms enacted by the Working Families Tax Cuts to close eligibility loopholes and ensure taxpayer-funded Premium Tax Credits are reserved for eligible Americans."

What to watch

The first deadline is December 15, for coverage that begins on January 1. The final date is January 15, 2027, with February 1 as the start date for coverage chosen after December 15, according to HealthCare.gov.

The proposed premium tax credit rules are still proposals. Final regulations, and the HHS rules on exchange procedures, would determine how the verification steps work for 2027 enrollees. The CMS fact sheet does not say how many people are expected to be affected.

Premiums, subsidy amounts and plan lists vary by state, county and household income, so the averages in the fact sheet describe the national picture and not any one applicant's options.