You renew or change your plan for 2027 during open enrollment. According to HealthCare.gov, the window opened on November 1, 2026 and closes on January 15, 2027. If you want coverage that starts January 1, the date that rules your calendar is December 15.
The rest is deciding, without rushing, which plan fits your family next year. If you let the system re-enroll you without looking, you may find out in March that your doctor is no longer in the network. If you are looking at health insurance options for the first time, start with the calendar.
When can you renew or change your plan for 2027?
Open enrollment is the only general window, and HealthCare.gov sets it. November 1, 2026 was the first day to enroll, renew or switch plans. December 15, 2026 is the last day to enroll or switch with coverage starting January 1. January 15, 2027 closes open enrollment.
If you enroll or switch between December 16 and January 15, your coverage does not begin January 1. It begins February 1. That is a month of difference, and it counts if you already have appointments on the books.
| Date | What you can do | When coverage starts |
|---|---|---|
| November 1, 2026 | First day to enroll, renew or change your plan | Depends on the date you pick |
| December 15, 2026 | Last day to enroll or switch with full-year coverage | January 1, 2027 |
| December 16 to January 15 | Final stretch of open enrollment | February 1, 2027 |
| January 15, 2027 | Open enrollment closes | Not applicable |
After January 15 you only get in through a special enrollment period, and that requires a qualifying life event. We break down how the window works on our open enrollment period page.
What happens if you do nothing?
According to HealthCare.gov, if you have Marketplace coverage in December and don’t choose a plan or cancel by December 15, the Marketplace may re-enroll you automatically for January 1. You will not lose coverage overnight. But the plan you are moved into may not be the one you had.
Automatic re-enrollment is a safety net, not a decision. It runs on the information already sitting in your application, and that information can be a year old.
Update your income and household information
HealthCare.gov is clear here: you must update your income and your household information on the application to get the right amount of savings. If you changed jobs, picked up more hours, had a baby, or someone in the house now has coverage through work, all of that moves the number.
The other step HealthCare.gov recommends: compare your current plan with the plan you are assigned to and with the other plans available. Three comparisons, not one.
How do you compare 2027 Marketplace plans?
HealthCare.gov sorts plans into four categories, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum, and hands you four documents for each one: the summary of benefits, the plan brochure, the provider directory and the list of covered drugs. Look up your doctors, your medical facilities and your prescriptions in every plan you consider.
The categories differ in how they split what you pay every month and what you pay when you use the service. A Bronze plan usually asks for less each month and more at the doctor’s office. A Gold plan works the other way around.
The four documents almost nobody opens
- Provider directory: search for your doctor by name, not by the name of the medical group.
- Drug list: search for every prescription you take, with its exact name.
- Summary of benefits: check what you pay for a specialist visit and for an emergency room.
- Plan brochure: the fine rules live here, like whether you need a referral.
Check your medical facilities too. A plan can have your doctor in network and leave out the hospital where she operates.
November, diabetes and your drug list
November is National Diabetes Month, and the NIDDK is focusing this year on taking action to prevent health problems caused by diabetes. If you or someone in your family lives with diabetes, use the fact that you are already comparing plans. Confirm your doctor appears in the 2027 plan network. Check that your medications are on the plan’s covered drug list. Doing it in November saves you a surprise at the pharmacy counter in January.
What changes in 2027 if you were not born in this country?
Starting January 1, 2027, HealthCare.gov says lawful permanent residents (green card holders), Cuban or Haitian entrants and COFA migrants may qualify for income-based savings on premiums and out-of-pocket costs. If your immigration status is different, review with an agent whether your savings change for 2027.
Do not assume anything in either direction. Sit down with a licensed agent before December 15, with your papers in front of you. Every case is looked at on its own.
Where can you get this done in Florida?
Florida uses the HealthCare.gov platform: CMS counts it among the 30 states using HealthCare.gov for 2026. The dates and rules above are the ones that apply here.
Univista Insurance has offices across South and Central Florida. At the office, a licensed agent compares your current plan with the other 2027 plans with you, with your medication list and your doctors at hand. Every plan gets explained before you sign anything. If you would rather not drive, it works by phone or online.
Frequently asked questions
There are more answers in our health insurance FAQs.
My doctor is not in the 2027 network. What can I do?
Search the provider directory of the other plans available to you before December 15 and see which one lists that doctor by name. HealthCare.gov recommends comparing your current plan, the plan you are matched with and the other plans. Check the hospital and your drug list in the same pass.
Is a Bronze plan better than a Gold plan?
Neither one is better on its own. A Bronze plan usually asks for less each month and more when you use care. A Gold plan flips that. If you see a specialist often or fill prescriptions every month, read the summary of benefits before you decide by the monthly figure alone.
Can I switch plans after January 15, 2027?
Only with a special enrollment period, which opens after a qualifying life event such as losing job coverage, moving, getting married or having a baby. Outside of that, your next general chance is the following open enrollment. If you think you qualify, check it with a licensed agent.
Licensed agents at Univista Insurance help you compare 2027 Marketplace plans and update your application. By phone, online or at a Univista Insurance office, with a free quote. Check whether you qualify for a subsidy before enrollment closes.
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