When is open enrollment? 2027 dates and deadlines
When you can sign up, the date that matters most, and what to do if you need coverage outside the yearly window.
Last checked October 16, 2026 · Written by licensed advisors · Sources are numbered and listed under Notes and sources
When is open enrollment for health insurance?
Open enrollment for 2027 Marketplace coverage runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. It is the yearly window when anyone can sign up or switch plans.1
- November 1, 2026Open enrollment for 2027 starts (key step)
- December 15Last day to choose a plan that starts January 1 (key step)
- January 15, 2027Open enrollment ends
- February 1, 2027Coverage starts for plans chosen December 16 to January 15
December 15 is the date that matters
Choose a plan by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1. This is also the date to act if your insurer is leaving or your renewal price jumped.1
Heads up: Choose a plan after December 15 and it starts February 1, not January 1. If nothing else covers you in January, that is a month without coverage.
What to do: Bring your renewal letter in before December 15 and we will go through every option with you.
Illinois has its own marketplace
Illinois runs Get Covered Illinois instead of HealthCare.gov. It announces its own dates for each season, and we will post them here once they are confirmed. Other state marketplaces also set their own end dates.2
Special enrollment: lost coverage or a life change
Outside open enrollment you can still sign up after certain life events: losing job-based coverage, moving, getting married or having a baby. You usually have 60 days from the event to enroll.3
- Losing job-based coverage
- Moving
- Getting married
- Having a baby
What to do: Keep proof of the coverage you lost, such as a letter from your employer.
Losing Medicaid or CHIP: up to 90 days
If you lose Medicaid or CHIP, HealthCare.gov states and Illinois give you up to 90 days from the date that coverage ends, not the date on the letter. You can also start up to 60 days before it ends. Illinois calls this "Loss of Medicaid or All Kids."42
- Up to 60 days beforeYou can already pick a Marketplace plan (key step)
- Coverage endsThe date that counts, not the date on the letter
- Up to 90 days afterYour window closes
What to do: Do not wait for the coverage to end. Call us when the notice arrives.
What to bring
Your renewal letter if you have one, an estimate of next year's household income, the names and birth dates of everyone you are covering, and a list of your doctors and prescriptions so we can check every plan's network.5
Obamacare Hotline and/or Medicare Po Polsku are private companies not affiliated with any local, state, or federal government agency. This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice.