ACA Open Enrollment 2027: Deadlines, the Subsidy Cliff & Who Loses Help

If you buy your own health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, this year’s open enrollment is the most important one in years — and the deadline that matters most is closer than it looks.

Open enrollment for 2027 coverage opened on November 1, 2026. On HealthCare.gov it runs through January 15, 2027. But the date to plan around is December 15, 2026: enroll or change plans by then, and your coverage starts January 1. Wait until after December 15 and your coverage does not start until February 1, leaving January without marketplace coverage.

There is a second shock waiting inside the enrollment form. The enhanced premium tax credits that lowered marketplace premiums from 2021 through 2025 expired on December 31, 2025, and Congress has not renewed them. The old subsidy cliff is back — earn one dollar over the limit and your federal help drops to zero.

The dates that matter

HealthCare.gov lists these dates for 2027 coverage, and multiple independent guides checked them against the official page in October 2026:

• November 1, 2026 — open enrollment begins. You can enroll, renew or change a plan for 2027.
• December 15, 2026 — last day to enroll or change plans for coverage that starts January 1, 2027. You must also pay your first premium.
• January 1, 2027 — coverage starts for people who enrolled by December 15 and paid.
• January 15, 2027 — open enrollment ends on HealthCare.gov.
• February 1, 2027 — coverage starts for plans picked between December 16 and January 15.

One thing to know: a 2025 federal rule would have ended the HealthCare.gov window on December 15. A federal court vacated that change in June 2026, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services confirmed in a statement on July 27, 2026 that open enrollment will run November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027. So January 15 is real — but December 15 still decides whether you are covered in January.

States that run their own marketplaces set their own calendars. California gives you until December 31 for January 1 coverage and stays open through January 31; Virginia stays open until January 29; New Jersey runs through January 31. If your state runs its own exchange, check its site directly — do not assume the federal dates apply.

After January 15, you can generally only enroll if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period — for example losing job-based coverage, moving, getting married or having a baby. You usually have 60 days from the event. Medicaid and CHIP applications are open all year.

What the subsidy cliff is — and why it is back

From 2021 through 2025, two federal laws — the American Rescue Plan Act and the Inflation Reduction Act — temporarily expanded premium tax credits. They removed the income cap entirely and limited what anyone paid for a benchmark plan to 8.5% of household income. Those enhancements were always temporary. They expired on December 31, 2025, and Congress did not extend them.

For 2027 coverage, the original ACA rules apply again. Premium tax credits are available only to households with income between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. Above 400%, the credit is zero — not smaller, zero. That hard cutoff is the subsidy cliff.

For 2027 coverage, the 400% threshold is $63,840 a year for a single person and $132,000 for a family of four, according to 2026 federal poverty guidelines published by HHS. Earn $63,841 as a single person and you get no premium tax credit at all, however expensive your plan is.

How much more it costs

The numbers behind the cliff are stark. According to KFF’s analysis of 2026 marketplace data, average monthly premium payments among enrollees rose 58% in 2026, from $113 a month in 2025 to $178 a month. KFF estimated that enrollees who lost their enhanced credits could see premiums rise by an average of roughly 114% if they took no action — about $1,016 a year more for the average enrollee.

KFF modelled one example that shows how the cliff actually bites. A 60-year-old earning $62,000 a year — just under the 400% threshold — pays roughly $6,175 a year for a benchmark silver plan, about 10% of income. The same 60-year-old earning $64,000 — just over the threshold — pays the full unsubsidised price of about $14,931 a year, roughly a quarter of income. A $2,000 raise costs more than $8,700 in lost help.

Could Congress still fix it? The House passed a three-year extension of the enhanced credits on January 8, 2026, but the bill stalled in the Senate, and as of October 2026 nothing has been signed into law. KFF analysts have described the odds of an extension as slim. Plan on the assumption that the cliff is real for 2027.

Who loses help — and who still qualifies

You lose help entirely if your household income for 2027 is above 400% of the federal poverty level: $63,840 for one person, $132,000 for a family of four. The relevant income is your modified adjusted gross income — the figure on your tax return, not just your salary. Retirement withdrawals, capital gains and self-employment income all count, which is why the cliff catches early retirees and freelancers by surprise.

You still qualify for a premium tax credit if your income is between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level, though the help is less generous than it was in 2021–2025. Below 400%, the share of income you are expected to pay for a benchmark silver plan now ranges from about 2.15% to 10.22%, according to IRS Revenue Procedure 2026-26.

If your income is below 100% of the federal poverty level, you generally do not qualify for a marketplace tax credit — in states that expanded Medicaid, you would usually qualify for Medicaid instead. Check your state’s rules, because this is one place where the answer changes by state.

What to do before December 15

1. Estimate your 2027 income carefully. This is the single most important step this year. If your income will land near $63,840 as a single person or $132,000 as a family of four, a small change — a bonus, a Roth conversion, a capital gain — can push you over the cliff. If you are close, talk to a tax professional before the year ends, because some income moves are still possible in December.
2. Compare all four metal tiers, not just silver. With subsidies smaller, a bronze plan with a lower premium may now beat a silver plan for a healthy household, and a gold plan may beat silver for someone who expects regular care. Run the numbers on HealthCare.gov’s calculator with your actual doctors and prescriptions, not just the premium.
3. Check whether employer coverage disqualifies you. If your employer offers coverage that meets the ACA’s affordability and minimum-value tests, you generally cannot get a marketplace tax credit, even if the marketplace plan looks cheaper. Verify this before you enroll.
4. Do not skip enrollment because the price went up. Going uninsured means paying the full cost of any care yourself, and you cannot rejoin until the next open enrollment unless you have a qualifying life event. A bronze plan with a high deductible is still protection against a catastrophic bill.

The bottom line

Two deadlines and one cliff define this enrollment season. Enroll by December 15 for coverage starting January 1; the window closes January 15. And if your household income is anywhere near $63,840 for one person or $132,000 for a family of four, check the number twice — one dollar over the line means no federal help at all for 2027.

Our Medicare open enrollment guide covers the separate Medicare calendar, which runs October 15 to December 7. And if the new prices push you to change insurers altogether, our guide to why Americans are switching insurance companies in 2026 explains what to check before you move.

Frequently asked questions

When is ACA open enrollment for 2027 coverage?

On HealthCare.gov it runs November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027. Enroll by December 15, 2026 for coverage that starts January 1, 2027. Plans picked December 16 through January 15 start February 1. State-run marketplaces may have different dates.

What is the ACA subsidy cliff for 2027?

Premium tax credits cut off completely at 400% of the federal poverty level — $63,840 a year for a single person and $132,000 for a family of four for 2027 coverage. Earn one dollar above that and your credit drops to zero. The enhanced credits that removed the cliff from 2021 through 2025 expired on December 31, 2025.

Why did my marketplace premium go up so much?

The enhanced premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025 and Congress has not renewed them. KFF found average monthly premium payments rose 58% in 2026, from $113 to $178, and estimated premiums could rise about 114% on average for enrollees who lost the enhanced credits.

Can I still enroll after January 15, 2027?

Only if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, usually within 60 days of a qualifying life event such as losing other coverage, moving, getting married or having a baby. Medicaid and CHIP enrollment is open all year.

This article is for general information only and is not financial or tax advice. Health insurance rules, deadlines and subsidy amounts can change, and they vary by state — always confirm the current rules on HealthCare.gov or your state marketplace, and check with a licensed agent or tax professional before you enroll.