ACA Open Enrollment Opens as Health Premiums Jump 13% for 2027

Open enrollment for 2027 health coverage opened on Sunday, November 1, and millions of Americans who buy their own insurance are facing another sharp price rise. Benchmark premiums on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces will cost 13 percent more on average in 2027, according to an analysis by KFF published on October 30.

The increase is the second double-digit jump in a row. Benchmark premiums rose 26 percent from 2025 to 2026, KFF found, so the two years together add up to a 42 percent increase in the average benchmark premium between 2025 and 2027.

On HealthCare.gov, enrollment runs from November 1, 2026, through January 15, 2027. Enroll by December 15 for coverage starting January 1, 2027; enroll later and coverage generally starts February 1. States with their own marketplaces may have different dates.

What the 13 percent rise actually means

The benchmark plan is the second-lowest-cost Silver plan available in an area. It matters because federal premium tax credits are calculated from its price, so it shapes what subsidized shoppers actually pay.

A 13 percent average rise does not mean every shopper’s bill will rise by 13 percent. What a household pays depends on where it lives, its age, its income, the plan it picks and whether it qualifies for tax credits. The national average hides wide differences between states and even between counties in the same state.

The rise is 11 percent on average in states that use HealthCare.gov, KFF found, after a 30 percent jump last year. In states that run their own marketplaces, benchmark premiums are rising 16 percent on average, after roughly 17 percent last year.

Insurers had proposed a median increase of about 15 percent for 2027, according to KFF’s earlier review of filings, so the finalized average came in a little lower than what insurers first asked for.

Why bills are climbing again

Insurers point to rising medical care costs as the main driver, KFF said. Changes in who stays enrolled — the risk pool — also pushed prices up. KFF’s review of rate filings found insurers estimated that shifts in the risk pool added about four percentage points to premiums in 2026, and they expect a similar effect in 2027.

The other big change is the end of the enhanced premium tax credits. Congress added extra help in 2021, and those enhanced credits expired at the end of 2025. They are not in place for 2027 either.

That matters because the help used to soften premium increases for many households. With it gone, more of the sticker price reaches the shopper. KFF reported that the average monthly premium enrollees actually paid after tax credits rose 58 percent, from $113 in 2025 to $178 in 2026, even though the sticker price of the average plan barely moved that year.

For 2027, the original Affordable Care Act rules apply again, including a hard income cutoff for premium tax credits. KFF said people with incomes above 400 percent of the federal poverty level no longer qualify for any premium tax credit, so they pay the full premium. For those households, the 13 percent average lands in full.

Who feels it most

Households just above the subsidy cutoff face the sharpest shock, because a small change in income can mean losing the entire tax credit rather than part of it. Older shoppers and people in high-cost areas also tend to see larger dollar increases, because their starting premiums are higher.

At the same time, CMS said in its October 30 fact sheet that more than 75 percent of HealthCare.gov shoppers will still have access to premiums at or below $50 a month in 2027 after tax credits. CMS did not give an average premium change in that fact sheet.

Fewer choices in some states

Choice is also shrinking in parts of the country. Reports on KFF’s insurer tracker said that, as of late October, 11 insurers had announced exits from at least one state for 2027, while seven had announced entries into new states. Cigna was reported to be leaving the individual market in all 11 states where it sells coverage, both on and off the exchange.

Enrollment has already fallen. KFF reported that plan selections fell by 1.2 million during the 2026 open enrollment period, and paid-up marketplace enrollment was down 12 percent, or 2.6 million people, to 19.2 million by February 2026.

Key dates and costs to check

Shoppers should check more than the monthly premium. The most a person can be required to pay for covered care in 2027 rises to $12,000 for an individual, up from $10,600 in 2026, and the family limit rises to $24,000, up from $21,200, according to CMS guidance.

What shoppers should do before picking a plan

First, do not let a plan renew automatically without checking it. Premiums, networks and drug coverage can all change from year to year. Second, compare the total cost, not just the premium: the deductible, copays, coinsurance and the out-of-pocket maximum all affect what care actually costs. Third, check whether doctors, hospitals and prescriptions are covered. Fourth, check subsidy eligibility carefully, especially near the income cutoff, and keep income estimates up to date.

Finally, note the December 15 deadline. Shoppers who want coverage starting January 1 must act by that date; waiting until January means coverage will not start until February 1.

Frequently asked questions

When does open enrollment for 2027 coverage run?
On HealthCare.gov, it runs from November 1, 2026, through January 15, 2027. Enroll by December 15 for coverage starting January 1, 2027.

How much are ACA benchmark premiums rising in 2027?
Benchmark Silver plan premiums rise 13 percent on average for 2027, according to KFF’s October 30 analysis — 11 percent in HealthCare.gov states and 16 percent in state-run marketplaces.

Why are premiums rising again?
KFF cites rising medical costs and changes in who stays enrolled as the main drivers, along with the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits at the end of 2025.

Will everyone pay 13 percent more?
No. The 13 percent figure is an average for the benchmark plan. What a household pays depends on location, age, income, plan choice and tax credit eligibility.

Sources and further reading

Figures in this article are drawn from KFF’s October 30, 2026 analysis, “9 Things to Watch for the 2027 ACA Open Enrollment Period,” and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Plan Year 2027 Marketplace Plans and Prices Fact Sheet, also dated October 30, 2026, as reported by KFF, CMS and news coverage of the new rates.

Health Insurance Premiums Rise Again as Open Enrollment Opens for 2027 — Zark News
2027 ACA benchmark premiums rise 13% as signup opens Nov. 1 — Health and Tech Now
HealthCare.gov Opens 2027 Enrollment As Benchmark Premiums Rise 13% — Weence