Quick answer
You can sign up for 2027 Marketplace coverage from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov, or on your state’s own exchange if it runs one. Enroll by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1. You fill out one application for your household, see which savings you qualify for, pick a plan and pay the first month’s premium to the insurance company, and coverage doesn’t start until that payment goes through.
Key takeaways
- Most states use HealthCare.gov for 2027, but 21 states and DC run their own enrollment sites, including Oregon, which moves to its own site this year.
- Have Social Security numbers for everyone applying, immigration document details for lawfully present immigrants, a 2027 income estimate and information about any job-based coverage offered to your household.
- Starting in 2027, the only lawfully present immigrants who can get a premium tax credit are green card holders, certain Cuban and Haitian entrants and COFA migrants.
- If the Marketplace can’t confirm something on your application, you usually get 90 days to send documents, or 95 days for citizenship and immigration status.
- The Marketplace Call Center, 1-800-318-2596, is open 24 hours a day except holidays, and local assisters can help you apply for free.
On this page
Who can buy a Marketplace plan
You need to live in the U.S., be a U.S. citizen, national or lawfully present immigrant, and not be incarcerated. Three situations limit what you can get:
- Medicare: if you have Medicare, you can’t enroll in a Marketplace health or dental plan.
- A job-based offer: you can still buy a Marketplace plan, but you won’t get a premium tax credit if the job’s plan is affordable and meets minimum standards. For 2027, it counts as affordable if your share of the premium for the lowest-cost self-only plan is no more than 10.22% of household income; for family members, the test uses the cost of family coverage. See Marketplace coverage when your employer offers insurance.
- Immigration status: for 2027, premium tax credits are limited to green card holders, certain Cuban and Haitian entrants and COFA migrants. Other lawfully present immigrants, such as people on work visas, people with Temporary Protected Status and refugees without green cards, can still buy a plan at full price. DACA recipients and undocumented immigrants can’t buy Marketplace coverage, though an undocumented immigrant can apply on behalf of family members who are eligible. See health insurance if you’re not a U.S. citizen.
Which website to use
If your state isn’t in this table, you apply at HealthCare.gov. That includes Arkansas and Oklahoma, which run their own exchange programs but use HealthCare.gov for enrollment.
| State | Exchange | Website |
|---|---|---|
| California | Covered California | coveredca.com |
| Colorado | Connect for Health Colorado | connectforhealthco.com |
| Connecticut | Access Health CT | accesshealthct.com |
| District of Columbia | DC Health Link | dchealthlink.com |
| Georgia | Georgia Access | georgiaaccess.gov |
| Idaho | Your Health Idaho | yourhealthidaho.org |
| Illinois | Get Covered Illinois | getcovered.illinois.gov |
| Kentucky | kynect (Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange) | kynect.ky.gov |
| Maine | CoverME.gov | coverme.gov |
| Maryland | Maryland Health Connection | marylandhealthconnection.gov |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Health Connector | mahealthconnector.org |
| Minnesota | MNsure | mnsure.org |
| Nevada | Nevada Health Link | nevadahealthlink.com |
| New Jersey | Get Covered New Jersey | nj.gov/getcoverednj |
| New Mexico | BeWell | bewellnm.com |
| New York | NY State of Health | nystateofhealth.ny.gov |
| Oregon | Explore Health (new for 2027) | ExploreHealthOR.gov |
| Pennsylvania | Pennie | pennie.com |
| Rhode Island | HealthSource RI | healthsourceri.com |
| Vermont | Vermont Health Connect | healthconnect.vermont.gov |
| Virginia | Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace | marketplace.virginia.gov |
| Washington | Washington Healthplanfinder | wahealthplanfinder.org |
You can apply online, by phone, with a local helper, on paper or through an approved enrollment partner, such as an insurer or online seller connected to the Marketplace. A plan bought straight from an insurer outside the Marketplace doesn’t come with a premium tax credit.
What to gather first
- A Social Security number for each person applying, and immigration document information for each lawfully present immigrant applying.
- How you’ll file your 2027 taxes, including who you’ll claim as dependents.
- Income information for everyone in your household, such as pay stubs, W-2s and last year’s tax return, and your best estimate of 2027 household income. See what counts as income for Marketplace coverage.
- Policy numbers for anyone who has health coverage now.
- An Employer Coverage Tool form for each job that offers someone in your household coverage, even if nobody enrolled. You can ask the employer to fill in the plan details, like whether it meets minimum value and what the cheapest employee-only plan costs.
- Any notice about a health reimbursement arrangement an employer offers you.
Step by step
- Create or log in to your account. If you had a Marketplace plan in 2026, update that application for 2027; see whether to let your plan auto-renew.
- Apply for your whole tax household. List your spouse and tax dependents even if they don’t need coverage.
- Read your eligibility notice. It shows your premium tax credit, whether you qualify for cost-sharing reductions on a silver plan, and whether anyone looks eligible for Medicaid or CHIP. If so, the Marketplace sends their information to your state, and those programs take applications all year.
- Compare plans by total yearly cost. Add the deductible, copays and coinsurance you’d likely pay to the premium. Enter your doctors and prescriptions, and the plan listings will show which plans cover them in network.
- Choose how much tax credit to take in advance. You can use all, some or none of it each month. Since 2026 there’s no cap on paying back extra credit at tax time, so taking less can make sense if your income might rise. See paying back the premium tax credit.
- Enroll and pay the first premium. You pay the insurance company, not the Marketplace, and coverage won’t start until that payment is made.
2027 deadlines
On HealthCare.gov, enroll by December 15 for coverage starting January 1. If you enroll from December 16 through January 15, coverage starts February 1.
State exchanges set their own dates. California, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and DC stay open until January 31, Virginia until January 29, and Massachusetts runs from October 23 to January 23. Connecticut opens October 23 and closes January 15. Vermont closes December 28, and Idaho runs only from October 15 to December 15. California and New Jersey give you until December 31 for a January 1 start, and Massachusetts until December 23. See when open enrollment is for more.
If the Marketplace asks for documents
Sometimes what you report doesn’t match government records. Your eligibility results will say what’s needed, reminder notices follow, and you can still enroll while it’s sorted out.
- Income or other mismatches: 90 days to send documents. In July 2026, HHS restored an automatic 60-day extension of that deadline for income.
- Citizenship or immigration status: 95 days.
- Proof of lost coverage for a special enrollment period: 30 days.
Uploading through your account is fastest. You can also mail copies, never originals; email and fax aren’t accepted. Miss the deadline and the Marketplace goes with the information it already has, which can end your savings or coverage after warning notices and a phone call. You can still send documents late and may qualify again.
Where to get free help
The Marketplace Call Center is at 1-800-318-2596 (TTY 1-855-889-4325), and state-run exchanges have their own lines. Navigators and certified application counselors help for free and must stay impartial; search HealthCare.gov’s Find Local Help tool by ZIP code. Licensed agents and brokers don’t charge you extra because insurers pay them, but some sell only certain companies’ plans. See brokers vs. navigators.
The Marketplace never charges you to apply or keep coverage. If a caller asks for a fee or your account password, hang up and call the Marketplace yourself.
Want a look at 2027 prices before you apply? Compare plans by ZIP code.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sign up after January 15?
On HealthCare.gov, only with a special enrollment period, usually within 60 days of a life event like losing coverage, moving, getting married or having a baby. A few state exchanges stay open later, and Medicaid and CHIP take applications any time.
I had a Marketplace plan this year. Do I have to reapply?
If you do nothing, you’ll usually be re-enrolled. Update your income and household information and compare plans by December 15 so your savings fit 2027.
When will my coverage start?
On HealthCare.gov, January 1 if you enroll by December 15 and pay your first premium, or February 1 if you enroll between December 16 and January 15. State exchanges can differ.
Sources
- HealthCare.gov: Marketplace application checklist (PDF)
- HealthCare.gov: When can you get health insurance? (dates and deadlines)
- HealthCare.gov: Documents and deadlines when the Marketplace needs more information
- CMS: State-based Exchanges
- healthinsurance.org: Know your health insurance exchanges
- KFF: Key facts on health coverage of immigrants
This article is general information, not insurance, tax or legal advice. State-run exchanges can have different deadlines and steps, so check your state’s site before you apply. Last reviewed October 2026.