Open enrollment 2027: Marketplace deadlines between jobs
Open enrollment for 2027 HealthCare.gov plans runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Pick a plan by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1.
Open enrollment for 2027 coverage through HealthCare.gov runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Pick a plan by December 15, 2026 for coverage that starts January 1, 2027. If you lose job-based coverage at another time of year, you can still enroll within 60 days through a special enrollment period. States that run their own Marketplace can set different dates.
- A plan you pick from December 16, 2026 to January 15, 2027 starts February 1, 2027, once you pay the first premium.
- You can enroll within 60 days before or after losing job-based coverage, even if you quit or were fired.
- A new job's plan counts as affordable in 2027 if your share of the premium is less than 10.22% of household income.
HealthCare.gov open enrollment dates for 2027 coverage
The Health Insurance Marketplace is where you buy an individual health plan, and HealthCare.gov runs it in most states. Its open enrollment is the yearly window when anyone can sign up, renew, or change plans. Outside it, you usually need a qualifying life event.[2][1]
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| November 1, 2026 | Open enrollment starts: enroll in, renew, or change a plan for 2027 |
| December 15, 2026 | Last day to pick a plan for coverage that starts January 1, 2027 |
| January 1, 2027 | Coverage starts for plans picked by December 15 whose first premium is paid |
| January 15, 2027 | Open enrollment ends |
| February 1, 2027 | Coverage starts for plans picked from December 16 to January 15 whose first premium is paid |
Some pages give December 15 as the end of open enrollment. That date comes from a rule the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized on June 20, 2025. It would have ended open enrollment on HealthCare.gov on December 15, starting with 2027 coverage.[3]
On June 12, 2026, the US District Court for the District of Maryland ruled in City of Columbus v. Kennedy that shortening open enrollment was arbitrary and capricious. In a statement dated July 27, 2026, CMS said open enrollment on the federal Marketplace runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027.[15][4]
The case is not over. The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit lists an appeal in City of Columbus v. Kennedy, case number 26-1938, for argument on October 30, 2026. A ruling could change these dates, so confirm them on HealthCare.gov before you rely on them.[16]
If your state runs its own Marketplace, check its dates there. On July 27, 2026, CMS said state Marketplaces keep the options they had before the 2025 rule. Those include ending open enrollment after January 15. Oregon residents will enroll for 2027 at ExploreHealthOR.gov, starting November 1.[5][4][6]
If you lose job-based coverage: the 60-day special enrollment period
A special enrollment period lets you enroll outside open enrollment after a life event, such as losing other coverage. If you leave a job for any reason and lose its health plan, you qualify, even if you quit or were fired.[7][9]
- Apply on HealthCare.gov within 60 days after your job-based coverage ends, or within the 60 days before an expected loss.
- Pick a plan by the last day of the month your old coverage ends. The new plan can then start on the first day of the next month.
- Estimate your household income for the whole calendar year, including what you earned before you left the job.
- Send proof of the lost coverage if your eligibility notice asks for documents.
HealthCare.gov gives an example. If your job-based plan ends on March 7 and you pick a Marketplace plan by March 31, coverage can start April 1. A Marketplace plan cannot start on the same day you lose job-based coverage.[7]
Your savings depend on your estimated household income for the year you need coverage, not on whether you have a job. HealthCare.gov says it will post the 2027 income levels and savings on November 1, 2026. Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) take applications any time of year.[10][11][2]
Continuation coverage or a Marketplace plan after a job ends
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) lets you stay on your job-based plan for a limited time, usually 18 months. You usually pay the full premium yourself, plus a small administrative fee.[7]
- During open enrollment, from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, you can switch from COBRA to a Marketplace plan for any reason.
- Outside open enrollment, you can switch if COBRA is running out or your former employer stops paying its share. You can also switch within 60 days of losing job-based coverage.
- If you drop COBRA early by choice outside open enrollment, you wait for the next open enrollment unless another life event qualifies you.
Before you hand in notice, check when your current plan's coverage ends. That date sets your window: 60 days before it and 60 days after. How to write a resignation letter covers what to put in the notice itself.[7][8]
If a new job offers health coverage in 2027: the 10.22% affordability test
In 2027, a job-based plan is affordable if your share of the monthly premium for its lowest-cost plan is under 10.22% of household income. In 2026 the line is 9.96%. The plan must also meet the minimum value standard, a floor on how much of covered costs it pays.[13][14]
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) set the 10.22% figure in Revenue Procedure 2026-26, for plan years beginning in 2027. If the offer is affordable and meets minimum value, you cannot get premium tax credits, the savings that lower a Marketplace premium. That holds even if you turn the offer down.[14][13][10]
If your plan permits health savings account contributions, compare the 2027 health savings account limits.
For you as the employee, the test uses the premium for self-only coverage. If your new job's plan has a waiting period, you can keep a Marketplace plan until it starts, with any savings you qualify for. When you compare 2 offers, put each plan's premium share on its own line, as how to negotiate salary does.[13][7]
Sources
Scope: Covers HealthCare.gov, the federal Health Insurance Marketplace run by CMS, for 2027 coverage, as of October 23, 2026. The dates could change after a pending federal appeal; confirm them on HealthCare.gov. State-run Marketplaces set their own dates. Does not cover Medicare, Medicaid eligibility, or employer open enrollment. For help, contact the Marketplace through HealthCare.gov or your state's Marketplace.
- When can you get health insurance?HealthCare.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · Accessed October 23, 2026
- Open Enrollment Period (glossary)HealthCare.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · Accessed October 23, 2026
- 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Final RuleCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · Accessed October 23, 2026
- Updated Statement regarding the Failure to File and Reconcile requirement for Plan Years 2026-2027Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · Accessed October 23, 2026
- 45 CFR 155.410, Initial and annual open enrollment periodsElectronic Code of Federal Regulations, National Archives · Accessed October 23, 2026
- The Marketplace in your stateHealthCare.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · Accessed October 23, 2026
- If you lose job-based health insuranceHealthCare.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · Accessed October 23, 2026
- Getting health coverage outside Open EnrollmentHealthCare.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · Accessed October 23, 2026
- Special Enrollment Period (SEP) (glossary)HealthCare.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · Accessed October 23, 2026
- Health coverage options if you're unemployedHealthCare.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · Accessed October 23, 2026
- Income levels & savingsHealthCare.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · Accessed October 23, 2026
- COBRA coverage when you're unemployedHealthCare.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · Accessed October 23, 2026
- Affordable coverage (glossary)HealthCare.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · Accessed October 23, 2026
- Rev. Proc. 2026-26Internal Revenue Service · Accessed October 23, 2026
- City of Columbus et al v. Kennedy et al, memorandum opinion (D. Md., June 12, 2026)US District Court for the District of Maryland, via GovInfo · Accessed October 23, 2026
- Oral argument calendar, Richmond, VA (10/27/2026 - 10/30/2026 Session)US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit · Accessed October 23, 2026
Posts are signed by their author and dated by publication. See an error? Email support@job.com. Corrections are listed on the corrections page.
Read our editorial standards
