Open Enrollment 2027 Overview

What is Open Enrollment?

Open Enrollment is the annual period when you can enroll in a health insurance plan for 2026. During this time, you can apply for new coverage, renew your current plan, or make changes to an existing plan. 

Keep in mind, outside of Open Enrollment, you can’t enroll or change your health plan unless you have a  qualifying life event.

When does 2027 Open Enrollment start and end?

For most people, Open Enrollment begins on November 1, 2026, and ends on December 15, 2026 for Jan 1 coverage.

Please carefully review the dates below.

Best to shop and pick a plan early and avoid missing an important enrollment deadline.

Our recommendation: encourage employees to complete their enrollment at least a week before the date they want coverage to start. Enrollments finished right at a deadline sometimes hit snags, even on HealthCare.gov, that push the start date back a month. A week of breathing room gives you and our team time to sort them out.

*If you live in one of the following states, you have a different deadline to secure January 1, 2027 coverage:

• Virginia (Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace): November 1, 2026 to January 29, 2027.
• California, New Jersey and DC: November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027.
• Massachusetts and Connecticut: Open Enrollment opens October 23, 2026.
• Idaho (Your Health Idaho): October 15 to December 15, 2026.
• Illinois (Get Covered Illinois) and Pennsylvania (Pennie): Published sources disagree on whether these close January 15 or later, so confirm with your exchange.
• Georgia (Georgia Access), Kentucky (kynect), Maryland (Maryland Health Connection), Nevada (Nevada Health Link) and Colorado (Connect for Health Colorado): These run their own exchanges on the standard November 1 to January 15 window.

*If you live in Idaho, your Open Enrollment begins on Oct 15, 2026, and ends on Dec 16, 2026.

*If you live in one of these states, you have extra time during Open Enrollment to sign up for February 1, 2027, coverage:

• California (Covered CA): Last day Jan 15th, 2027.
• District of Columbia (DC Health Link): Last day Jan 15th, 2027.
• New Jersey (Get Covered New Jersey): Last day Jan 15th1, 2027. 
• New York (NY State of Health): Last day Jan 15th, 2027. 
• Massachusetts (MA Health Connector): Last day Jan 23rd, 2027.. 
• Kentucky (kynect): Last day Jan 16th, 2027. 

What if I miss the Open Enrollment period?

If you miss Open Enrollment, you can only get coverage if you have a qualifying life event, such as getting married, or losing other health coverage, or being offered an ICHRA (like through StretchDollar!). If you miss Open Enrollment, please reach out to us to understand your enrollment options.