Open Enrollment and Special Enrollment Periods: Key 2027 Dates

HealthCare.gov's and CMS's dates for 2027 Open Enrollment, what current enrollees should do, and which life events open a Special Enrollment Period and which don't.

iHealthBenefit · Last reviewed October 26, 2026 · 7 min read

Marketplace health insurance isn't open for sign-up all year. Most people get one window each fall to enroll, renew or switch plans. Outside that window, you need a qualifying life event, such as losing other coverage, moving or having a baby, to open a Special Enrollment Period.

Knowing which window you're in, and how long it stays open, is often the difference between a smooth switch and months without coverage. This guide covers the dates HealthCare.gov lists for 2027 coverage, what happens if you already have a plan, and which life events do and don't count.

This is general information, not insurance or legal advice. If your state runs its own Marketplace, confirm dates there, or ask a free local assister or your state insurance department.

Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage

As of October 2026, HealthCare.gov and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) give the same dates. CMS said in a July 27, 2026 statement that Open Enrollment at HealthCare.gov will begin on November 1, 2026 and end on January 15, 2027, and HealthCare.gov's dates-and-deadlines page lists this calendar:

November 1, 2026: Open Enrollment starts. You can enroll in, renew or change a plan for 2027.
December 15, 2026: the last day to enroll in or change plans for coverage that starts January 1, 2027.
January 1, 2027: coverage starts for people who enrolled by December 15 and paid their first premium.
January 15, 2027: Open Enrollment ends. After this, you can enroll or change plans only with a Special Enrollment Period.
February 1, 2027: coverage starts for people who enrolled December 16 through January 15 and paid their first premium.

You may have read that Open Enrollment would end by December 31 starting with 2027 coverage. A 2025 federal rule did set that limit, but in June 2026 a federal district court struck several provisions of that rule, and CMS's July 27, 2026 statement says it has not altered the existing Open Enrollment dates. CMS also notes that related court cases are still pending and that state-run Marketplaces have some flexibility over their dates, so confirm the deadlines on HealthCare.gov or your state's Marketplace before you rely on them.

Two other timing rules sit alongside these dates. HealthCare.gov's 2026 glossary notes that you can apply for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) any time of year, and that job-based plans may have different Open Enrollment periods, so check with your employer about theirs.

If you already have a Marketplace plan

Current enrollees have a few extra steps. HealthCare.gov's 2026 renewal guidance says that by November 1 you should get two letters, one from your insurance company and one from the Marketplace. Together they tell you whether your plan is available next year, which plan you'll be automatically re-enrolled in if you don't act, changes to your coverage and savings, and whether the Marketplace needs documents from you.

If you don't act by December 15, HealthCare.gov's 2026 guidance says you may be automatically re-enrolled for January 1 coverage, though in some cases you won't be. Even if auto-renewal works, update your application anyway. HealthCare.gov stresses that savings are based on your expected income for the coming year, not past years, and that an outdated estimate could mean getting less help than you qualify for, or getting too much and paying it back at tax time.

Plans and prices change every year, so it's worth comparing. HealthCare.gov's 2026 guidance adds that if you're auto-renewed and want a different plan, you can still switch by January 15 for coverage starting February 1.

Special Enrollment Periods: the main triggers

A Special Enrollment Period is a window outside Open Enrollment, opened by a life change. As of October 2026, HealthCare.gov's Special Enrollment Period page groups the qualifying events like this:

Household changes in the past 60 days: getting married (pick a plan by the last day of the month and coverage can start the first day of the next month); having a baby, adopting a child or placing a child for foster care (coverage can start the day of the event even if you enroll up to 60 days afterward); divorce or legal separation that causes a loss of coverage; or a death that ends your coverage.
Moves: to a new ZIP code or county, to the U.S. from abroad or a U.S. territory, or to or from a school, a seasonal work location, or a shelter or transitional housing.
Loss of qualifying coverage in the past 60 days, or expected loss in the next 60 days. This includes job-based coverage, COBRA, a parent's plan when you turn 26, a discontinued individual plan, or premium-free Medicare Part A. If you lost Medicaid or CHIP, the window reaches back 90 days.
An offer from an employer of an individual coverage health reimbursement arrangement (often called an ICHRA) or a Qualified Small Employer HRA, in the past 60 days or expected in the next 60 days.
Other events, including becoming a U.S. citizen, leaving incarceration, gaining membership in a federally recognized tribe, starting or ending certain AmeriCorps service, or being affected by a natural disaster.

The useful habit here is to act early. Because HealthCare.gov's 2026 rules let you apply up to 60 days before you expect to lose coverage, you can often line up a new plan and avoid a gap.

What doesn't count

The same HealthCare.gov page (as of October 2026) is just as clear about events that don't open a Special Enrollment Period:

Voluntarily dropping coverage, including choosing to stop paying COBRA premiums.
Losing Medicare Part A because you didn't pay the Medicare premium.
Losing only Medicare Part B or Part D.
Divorce or legal separation without losing coverage.
Moving only for medical treatment, or staying somewhere on vacation.
Dropping coverage you have as a dependent, unless your household income also fell or the change made you eligible for Marketplace savings.

If one of these describes you, your next chance is usually Open Enrollment, unless you qualify for Medicaid or CHIP, which take applications year-round.

Documents, attestation and appeals

When you apply with a Special Enrollment Period, HealthCare.gov's 2026 guidance says you attest that your information is true, including the event that qualifies you, and you may have to send documents such as proof that you lost coverage. HealthCare.gov warns that if you don't provide acceptable documents about losing coverage, you won't qualify. Keep termination letters, COBRA notices, marriage certificates and lease papers in one place while you apply.

If you're turned down but believe you qualify, HealthCare.gov says you can appeal the decision.

Watch for scams during enrollment season

Scammers know when people are shopping. In a September 28, 2026 alert, the Federal Trade Commission warned that health insurance scams pick up during Open Enrollment for Medicare and the Marketplace, and that scammers and dishonest businesses sometimes pay to appear at the top of search results. HealthCare.gov's 2026 fraud guidance says the Marketplace, its assisters and your state will never threaten you or ask for payment to keep or qualify for coverage, and that you pay premiums directly to your plan. Type the official address yourself, look for ".gov," and report suspected scams to the FTC.

Getting help with timing questions

Deadlines are where small mistakes get expensive. If you're unsure whether an event qualifies or when coverage would start, call the Marketplace Call Center or use HealthCare.gov's "Find Local Help" tool to reach a free, trained assister. If you live in a state with its own Marketplace, use that Marketplace's help line, and contact your state insurance department with complaints about insurers or agents.

Key takeaways

HealthCare.gov and CMS list Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage at HealthCare.gov as November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027, with December 15, 2026 the deadline for a January 1 start; state-run Marketplaces may differ.
Current enrollees should read their fall letters, update their income and compare plans, even if auto-renewal is an option.
HealthCare.gov ties many Special Enrollment Periods to a 60-day window around the event, and allows 90 days after losing Medicaid or CHIP.
Voluntarily dropping coverage or stopping premium payments does not open a Special Enrollment Period.
Medicaid and CHIP accept applications all year, and no legitimate source charges you to enroll.

Sources

Our articles are general information, not medical, insurance, tax or legal advice, and we don't sell insurance or recommend specific plans or companies.

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