Quick answer
You don’t need a broker to buy a Marketplace plan, but free help is there if you want it. Licensed agents and brokers are paid commissions by insurers, so you pay nothing extra, and they can recommend a plan. Navigators and certified application counselors are also free but must stay impartial, so they won’t pick a plan for you, and federal navigator funding is down to $10 million a year, from $98 million in 2024.
Key takeaways
- Agents and brokers are licensed by your state and paid by insurers, and enrolling through one doesn’t cost you anything extra.
- Navigators and certified application counselors are trained by the Marketplace, can’t be paid by insurers and can’t recommend one plan over another.
- In August 2026, CMS awarded $10 million to 35 navigator organizations in HealthCare.gov states, the same reduced level as the year before.
- CMS says it canceled about 315,000 unauthorized enrollments covering more than 760,000 people on August 31, 2026, and it paused registration of new agents and brokers for 2027.
- The Marketplace never charges you to apply, and an offer of cash or gifts for signing up is a red flag.
On this page
What brokers and agents do
Agents and brokers are insurance professionals licensed by your state, and to sell Marketplace plans they also have to complete Marketplace training and sign an agreement with it. An agent may work for a single insurance company, while a broker may represent several. Either can walk you through your options, help with the application and recommend a plan based on your situation. In many states, brokers are required to act in your best interest.
Insurers pay them commissions, and you won’t pay anything additional for their help. Some sell only the plans of companies they represent, so ask which insurers they work with. To get your premium tax credit, they have to enroll you through the Marketplace. Some brokers also sell plans outside it, which don’t come with the credit; see buying health insurance outside the exchanges.
What navigators and application counselors do
Navigators are trained and certified by the Marketplace and paid through government grants. They help you fill out the application, see which savings you qualify for and enroll, and they help with Medicaid and CHIP applications too; see health insurance for low-income families. Certified application counselors do similar work through organizations such as community health centers, hospitals and social service agencies.
Their help is free, and they’re required to be unbiased. They can’t recommend one plan over another or steer you toward a particular policy, and they can’t be paid by insurance companies. They’re a good fit if you mostly want someone to explain your choices and help with the paperwork. For a recommendation on which plan to buy, you’d need a broker.
Navigator funding for 2027
In February 2025, CMS cut navigator funding for HealthCare.gov states to $10 million a year, from $98 million for the 2024 plan year, saying navigators enrolled too few people for the cost. On August 26, 2026, CMS awarded $10 million to 35 returning navigator organizations for the year that includes 2027 open enrollment.
The cut shrank programs in some states. In Ohio, the number of navigators dropped from 50 in January 2025 to five by the start of open enrollment that fall, Stateline reported. State-run exchanges pay for their own assister programs, so help there depends on your state.
Brokers vs. navigators at a glance
| Agent or broker | Navigator or application counselor | |
|---|---|---|
| Who pays them | Insurers, through commissions | Government grants or the organization they work for |
| Cost to you | Nothing extra | Free |
| Can recommend a plan | Yes | No |
| Plans they’ll show you | May be limited to insurers they represent | Impartial information on Marketplace options |
| Credentials | State insurance license plus Marketplace training | Marketplace training and certification |
| Medicaid and CHIP | The Marketplace application checks for them | Can help you apply |
How to find either one
HealthCare.gov’s Find Local Help tool lists both kinds of helpers by ZIP code. If your state runs its own exchange, the tool sends you to that site, which has its own directory. HealthCare.gov’s Help On Demand feature can have a licensed agent or broker contact you, usually within the same business day. You can also call the Marketplace at 1-800-318-2596. For the steps you’ll go through either way, see how to sign up for Marketplace coverage.
Broker fraud and what CMS has done
Some agents have enrolled people or switched their plans without permission to collect commissions. From January through August 2024, CMS received 183,553 complaints about people enrolled without consent and 90,863 about plans changed without consent. It suspended 850 agents’ and brokers’ Marketplace agreements from June to October 2024. Since July 2024, an agent who isn’t already on your HealthCare.gov enrollment can be added only through a three-way call with you and the Marketplace Call Center.
The crackdown grew in 2026. CMS says it canceled about 315,000 enrollments covering more than 760,000 people on August 31 after flagging them as unauthorized, and the AP reported that another 419,000 enrollments are getting extra eligibility checks. KFF Health News reported that some people with valid coverage were caught up and a small number have been reinstated. Officials say you can ask to be reinstated by calling the Marketplace with your Social Security number or other missing information.
CMS also paused HealthCare.gov registration for new agents and brokers who didn’t have a 2026 Marketplace agreement, and a broker trade group sued over the pause on October 15. Agents must now verify their identity again, and applications they submit must include Social Security or immigration document numbers for the people applying. CMS says it will require your electronic approval before an agent can act on your application. Starting with 2028 coverage, agents will also have to use an HHS consent form.
Warning signs
- Unsolicited ads, texts, calls or visits that promise cash, gift cards, a specific subsidy amount or a free plan before anyone has looked at your income.
- Pressure to sign up right away.
- Any request for payment to apply or keep coverage, or for payment by cash, wire transfer or cryptocurrency. You pay premiums only to your insurer.
- A request for your HealthCare.gov username and password. CMS tells consumers not to share their login, even with agents and brokers.
- A caller who says they’re from the Marketplace but won’t give a name and contact information. Real Marketplace calls come from 1-855-997-1890 or 844-477-7500.
How to check your account and report a problem
Log in yourself at HealthCare.gov or your state’s exchange, without using a link from a text or email. Check your plan, insurer, household members, income estimate and contact information, and turn on security codes. Read every notice you get, and look over your Form 1095-A at tax time. If it shows a plan you didn’t choose, call the Marketplace Call Center; it can fix your enrollment and send a corrected form. A plan you didn’t know about can still affect your taxes, since there’s no cap on repaying extra credit; see paying back the premium tax credit.
Report scams to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and report a licensed agent’s misconduct to your state insurance department.
Prefer to look on your own first? Compare 2027 plans by ZIP code.
Frequently asked questions
Do brokers charge a fee for Marketplace plans?
No. Insurers pay them commissions, and you won’t pay anything additional if you enroll through an agent or broker.
Can a navigator tell me which plan to buy?
No. A navigator can explain your options and help you compare them but has to stay impartial. A broker can recommend a specific plan. For choosing on your own, see how to pick your health insurance.
What should I do if my plan was switched without my permission?
Call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596, or your state’s exchange if it runs one, right away to fix the enrollment and ask about a corrected Form 1095-A. Then report the agent to your state insurance department.
Can I still use a broker for 2027 coverage?
Yes. The HealthCare.gov registration pause applies only to agents and brokers who didn’t have a 2026 Marketplace agreement.
Sources
- HealthCare.gov: Agent or broker
- healthinsurance.org: What are Navigators?
- CMS: In-person assistance in the Health Insurance Marketplaces
- CMS: Federal Marketplace anti-fraud actions (fact sheet)
- CMS: Update on actions to prevent unauthorized agent and broker Marketplace activity
- HealthCare.gov: How can I protect myself from fraud in the Marketplace?
This article is general information, not insurance, tax or legal advice. Broker licensing rules and assister programs differ by state, so check with your state’s exchange or insurance department. Last reviewed October 2026.