Six days left. On Sunday, November 1, the Health Insurance Marketplace opens for 2027 coverage, and there is a quiet trap waiting for you in January: if you do nothing, your plan renews on its own.
That is not always bad news. Sometimes the same plan is still the best one. But this year, watch out — renewing blind is riskier than usual: premiums are rising, the tax credits are not what they used to be, and some plans simply will not be there anymore.
The dates first, because there is no room for confusion here. On HealthCare.gov, open enrollment runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. If you enroll or change plans by December 15, your coverage starts January 1. If you do it between December 16 and January 15, it starts February 1. The difference? A whole month of January without the new coverage. So even though the window runs into January, the date that really matters is December 15.
What if your state runs its own marketplace? Then check its calendar separately: dates can differ. What does not change is the logic: do not leave the decision for the last day of the window.
Why this year hurts your wallet more
Two things came together. First, the enhanced tax credits that lowered what many people paid between 2021 and 2025 expired on December 31, 2025. The original rules are back: in general, the credit applies to households with incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. Going over that limit, even by a little, can leave you with no credit at all.
Second, insurers asked for increases. KFF, after reviewing filings from 276 insurers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, found a median proposed increase of 15% for 2027. Note: proposed, not final. Your actual premium depends on your state, your insurer and your credit. But the direction is clear, and it is the second straight year of double-digit increases.
What does that mean in practice? That the plan that worked for you in 2026 can cost quite a bit more in 2027, or cover less, even if it has the same name. Doctor networks change. Drug lists change. And the deductible — the amount you pay out of pocket before the plan starts covering — moves too.
What to check before you let it slide
You do not need to become an expert. Four checks are plenty.
First, your renewal letter: is your plan still offered in 2027, and at what price? If your insurer is leaving the market in your area, do not wait for the system to place you in another plan. Choose yourself.
Second, your doctors and your hospital: are they still in the plan’s network for 2027? A network that changes without warning is January’s most expensive surprise, because an out-of-network visit is not billed the same way.
Third, your prescriptions. Look each one up on the 2027 list, not this year’s. A drug that moves up a tier can cost you more than the entire premium increase.
And fourth, your estimated income for 2027. The credit is calculated on what you project to earn, and it is reconciled on your tax return. If you are self-employed, use a realistic figure, not last year’s out of inertia. Estimating too low can force you to pay back part of the credit later.
If you have coverage through your job, this is not for you: your window is a different one. And if you have Medicare, that is different too: its open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, a separate calendar. Job-based coverage, by the way, got more expensive this year too: the employee’s share rose 9%.
What if you miss the window? Outside open enrollment you can only enroll with a qualifying life event — losing other coverage, getting married, moving, having a child — and Medicaid and CHIP take applications all year. That is not the same as the general window, so do not count on it as a plan B.
Next week it all comes together: voting before November 3, the Marketplace opening November 1 and Medicare closing December 7. If you can only handle one task this week, make it this one: go to HealthCare.gov, compare your 2027 plan with your 2026 plan and decide before December 15. January, with the premium already set, is too late to change your mind.
Official sources
- HealthCare.gov — «Get ready now, enroll Nov 1 – Jan 15»: https://www.healthcare.gov/get-coverage/
- HealthCare.gov — Dates and deadlines (November 1: enrollment opens; December 15: last day for January 1 coverage; January 15: enrollment ends; February 1: start for enrollments December 16 through January 15): https://www.healthcare.gov/quick-guide/dates-and-deadlines/
- KFF — Analysis of 2027 rate filings from 276 insurers (median proposed increase of 15%; second consecutive year of double-digit increases): https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/individual-market-enrollment-continues-to-fall-through-mid-2026/
Comentarios