ACA open enrollment starts Nov. 1 with premiums up again and no enhanced subsidies. The deadlines, the numbers and what to check before you renew

Open enrollment in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces begins November 1, and for many of the people who buy their own coverage, it will be the second expensive year in a row. The median proposed premium increase for 2027 individual-market plans is about 15% before subsidies, according to KFF data cited by healthinsurance.org. Weighted average increases range from under 7% in Vermont, Iowa and Utah to 29% in Arizona.

The enhanced federal premium subsidies that lowered costs for marketplace buyers expired at the end of 2025. The House passed a three-year extension, H.R. 1834, in January 2026, but the Senate has not acted on it or a compromise, HealthCare Insider reported. That makes 2027 the second plan year under the original subsidy rules.

When is open enrollment for 2027?

On HealthCare.gov, which serves most states, the window runs from November 1, 2026, through January 15, 2027. Choose a plan by December 15 for coverage starting January 1; plans chosen from December 16 through January 15 start February 1, according to Bradford Informed Guidance, citing CMS.

Those dates were briefly in doubt. A 2025 federal rule, the Marketplace Integrity and Affordability rule, would have ended HealthCare.gov enrollment on December 15. On June 12, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland vacated the rule's open enrollment provisions in City of Columbus v. Kennedy. The government appealed to the Fourth Circuit, which has scheduled oral argument for October 30. As of mid-September there was no stay of the lower court's order, and the appeal does not change the 2027 dates, Bradford wrote. The Kory Agency reported that CMS confirmed the traditional schedule in early August.

State-run exchanges set their own windows. Idaho opened October 15 and closes December 15. Massachusetts opens October 23. California, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island run through January 31, and Virginia through January 29, according to healthinsurance.org's state table. Colorado's exchange, Connect for Health Colorado, opens November 1 and follows the standard window through January 15.

Why are premiums rising again?

Insurers point to rising hospital and drug costs, including GLP-1 medications, higher labor costs and more use of care. They also expect a weaker risk pool as some healthier people drop coverage without the enhanced subsidies, along with federal policy changes, healthinsurance.org reported.

Because subsidies are tied to the price of the second-lowest-cost silver plan in each area, many subsidized enrollees are partly shielded from rate increases. People who earn too much for a subsidy, or who buy coverage off the exchange, pay the full increase.

Who qualifies for help in 2027?

Under the original rules, premium tax credits generally go to households with income between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level that do not qualify for Medicaid. Using the 2026 poverty guidelines, that is roughly $15,960 to $63,840 a year for a single person and about $33,000 to $132,000 for a family of four, according to HealthCare Insider. Above 400%, help generally stops, a drop-off often called the subsidy cliff.

HealthCare Insider also notes that the caps on repaying excess advance subsidies at tax time are gone, so an income estimate that turns out too low can cost more when you file. Self-employed people and anyone with variable income should build a realistic 2027 income projection before enrolling, SelfEmployed.com advised, and update it during the year if income changes.

Other changes for 2027

• Higher out-of-pocket limits. The maximum out-of-pocket for 2027 plans is $12,000 for an individual, up from $10,600 in 2026. A higher limit for bronze plans, $15,600, was stayed by a court in July 2026, according to healthinsurance.org.
• HSA-eligible plans. All marketplace bronze and catastrophic plans remain eligible for health savings accounts. The 2027 HSA contribution limits are $4,500 for self-only coverage and $9,000 for family coverage.
• Insurer exits. Exits outnumber entries this year, and hundreds of thousands of enrollees have plans ending in 2026. Anyone whose insurer is leaving will be mapped to another plan or need to choose one, so do not assume auto-renewal keeps you in the same coverage.
• Immigrant eligibility. Starting in 2027, only lawful permanent residents, Cuban-Haitian entrants and citizens of Compact of Free Association nations qualify for marketplace subsidies among lawfully present immigrants. Others, including refugees, asylees and many visa holders, lose eligibility.

What Colorado buyers will pay

The Colorado Division of Insurance finalized an average 10% increase for individual plans and 14% for small-group plans, as reported by Beinsure. The increases vary widely by region.

The state's reinsurance program, created in 2020, reimburses insurers for part of their most expensive claims and directs more support to rural and mountain areas. The division estimated that increases in Grand Junction and the rest of Western Colorado could have reached 31% without it. For people who receive financial help, average net premiums are expected to rise about $20 a month from 2026 to 2027; without state premium support, the increase would average about $69 a month. The division said the loss of the enhanced federal subsidies had "doubled net premium costs on average" for 2026 individual coverage.

What to do before you renew

1. Mark the dates. December 15 for a January 1 start on HealthCare.gov; check your state exchange, including Connect for Health Colorado, for its own deadlines.
2. Update your income estimate. Use your best realistic 2027 figure. With no repayment caps, guessing low is risky.
3. Check whether your plan is ending. Read any notice from your insurer, and compare plans rather than accepting a mapped replacement.
4. Compare total cost, not just premium. A lower premium with a $12,000 out-of-pocket limit may cost more if you expect regular care.
5. Look at HSA-eligible bronze plans if you are healthy and can save toward the deductible.
6. Ask for help if you need it. Marketplace navigators and licensed brokers can walk through plan comparisons and subsidy estimates.

People with Medicare follow a different calendar; our Medicare open enrollment guide covers that window.