ACA open enrollment for 2027: the dates, higher costs, and the fake-broker scams to avoid

What's happened

Open enrollment for 2027 Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace coverage opened on November 1, 2026. On HealthCare.gov, the dates are:

• December 15, 2026: the last day to enroll or change plans for coverage starting January 1, 2027.
• December 16 to January 15, 2027: sign up in this window and coverage starts February 1.
• January 15, 2027: open enrollment ends. After that, you need a qualifying life event, such as losing other coverage, to get a plan.

States that run their own exchanges can set different dates, so check your state's site if you don't use HealthCare.gov.

This is the second open enrollment since the enhanced premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025. KFF, the health policy research group, says that pushed up what people pay: average premium payments rose 58% in 2026, and Marketplace enrollment fell from 21.8 million in 2025 to 19.2 million. For 2027, KFF says insurers asked for a median premium increase of about 15%.

Who's affected

Anyone who buys their own health insurance: the self-employed, early retirees, gig workers and people whose job doesn't offer coverage. You can still get a premium tax credit if your household income is between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. Above 400%, there's no help with premiums at all, because the enhanced credits that removed that cap have ended.

Two other changes matter. Under the 2025 budget law, KFF notes, if you underestimate your income, you now have to repay the excess advance tax credit in full at tax time. And from 2028 coverage, CMS has proposed that people getting financial help must confirm their eligibility each year rather than being re-enrolled automatically with it.

What it means in dollars: a worked example

KFF's figures show how the end of the enhanced credits hit people just above the cutoff. For a 40-year-old earning just over 400% of the poverty level, the cheapest bronze plan went from $3,750 a year in 2025 to $5,472 in 2026, an increase of $1,722.

This next part is an illustration. Sam expects to earn $50,000 in 2027 and gets $300 a month in advance tax credits, $3,600 for the year. A big contract pushes her income higher, and at tax time she's only entitled to $2,400. She has to repay the $1,200 difference. Updating her income on HealthCare.gov when the contract came in would have cut her credit for the rest of the year instead.

The scams to avoid

The Federal Trade Commission warned on September 28, 2026, that health insurance scams pick up during open enrollment. Scammers pay to appear at the top of search results and build lookalike sites. HealthCare.gov says they may email, text or turn up at your home uninvited claiming to be from the Marketplace, and warns against social media ads offering cash, gifts or other perks for signing up.

There's a news hook for them, too. The administration is sending one-time $500 checks to about 1 million HealthCare.gov enrollees who got no tax credits in 2026, KFF says. Anyone asking for a fee or your bank details to send you money like this should be treated as a scammer.

What to do now

1. Go to HealthCare.gov yourself. Type the address in, check for the .gov ending, and skip ads. Or call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596.
2. Update your application and compare. HealthCare.gov posts 2027 income levels and savings from November 1. Your current plan's price, or the plan itself, may change, so don't just let it roll over.
3. Estimate your 2027 income carefully, and report changes during the year so you don't owe a big repayment.
4. Get free help. Use "Find Local Help" on HealthCare.gov for trained assisters. HealthCare.gov says it will never ask for payment to apply for or keep coverage, and you pay premiums to your insurer, not to anyone else.
5. Guard your details. Don't give your Social Security number or bank details to anyone who contacts you out of the blue. Report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to 1-800-318-2596.

FAQs

Is a short-term plan a cheaper alternative?

It can cost less, but KFF notes short-term plans can turn you down based on your medical history and don't qualify for premium tax credits. Read what's covered before you buy.

I have Medicare. Do I need a Marketplace plan?

No. HHS warns that Medicare beneficiaries don't need to buy Marketplace coverage, so anyone telling you otherwise is selling something. Medicare's own open enrollment runs until December 7.

Can someone switch my plan without asking?

An agent or broker should only enroll you with your agreement. HealthCare.gov says not to share personal information until you've read and agreed to a Privacy Notice Statement. If your plan changed and you didn't choose it, call the Marketplace.

Sources: HealthCare.gov: dates and deadlines, HealthCare.gov: lower costs, HealthCare.gov: protect yourself from fraud, FTC: what to know ahead of open enrollment (September 28, 2026), CMS: proposed Exchange verification requirements (October 23, 2026), KFF: midterm election update on the ACA Marketplaces (October 6, 2026), KFF: the $500 ACA checks (October 23, 2026), HHS-OIG: consumer fraud in the Marketplace