Published October 30, 2026 · Daniel Griffin, Licensed Independent Advisor · NPN #22052447
Open Enrollment for 2027 opens on Sunday, November 1. If you buy your own coverage, fifteen minutes this week saves you from the two mistakes that cost the most: letting the marketplace re-enroll you into a plan you did not choose, and guessing your income. Here is the order to do it in.
1. Find Your Renewal Notice (2 minutes)
Your insurer had to send it before November 1. It says whether your plan is renewing, changing or ending. If it is ending, your coverage stops December 31 and you are choosing a new plan whether you like it or not (what the three letters mean).
2. Write Down Your Doctors and Drugs (3 minutes)
Names of your doctors, the hospital you would use, and every prescription with its dose. Networks and drug lists are set plan by plan and change every January, so this list is what you check each plan against.
3. Estimate Your 2027 Income (5 minutes)
The tax credit is based on what your household will earn in 2027, not what it earned last year. Two lines decide most of it:
| Household | No credit above (400% of poverty) |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $63,840 |
| 2 people | $86,560 |
| 3 people | $109,280 |
| 4 people | $132,000 |
2026 poverty guidelines, which govern 2027 coverage. Below 100% of poverty ($15,960 for one person) there is no marketplace credit either; that range usually points to Medicaid where the state has expanded it.
Guess low and you repay the difference at tax time, and from the 2026 tax year there is no cap on that repayment. If you are self-employed or paid on commission, a retirement or HSA contribution can move you back under the line (how sharp the line is).
Not sure what to put down for 2027 income?
Send your ZIP code. A licensed agent works out where your household sits against the line and what the credit is worth either side of it.
Get Started Right Now →Free · No obligation · Licensed in 23 states · NPN #22052447
4. Compare Worst Years, Not Just Premiums (3 minutes)
For each plan you are considering, add twelve months of premium to its out-of-pocket maximum. That is the most the plan can cost you in a bad year. The legal ceiling rose to $12,000 for one person in 2027 (why), so plans that look alike on premium can differ by thousands here.
5. Check Two Special Cases (2 minutes)
- Your spouse has a work plan? If the employee’s share of family coverage is more than 10.22% of household income, the spouse and children can use the marketplace with a credit (the 10.22% test).
- Anyone with a health history? Stay where no one can be turned down, and check their specialists first (the five rules).
6. Put December 15 in Your Calendar
Choose by December 15 and coverage starts January 1. HealthCare.gov stays open to January 15, but a plan picked after December 15 starts February 1, which leaves January uncovered if your current plan is ending. State-run marketplaces set their own closing dates (dates by state).
Want it done in one call instead?
Send your ZIP code. A licensed agent runs steps 1 to 5 with you, marketplace and private options side by side, and you choose before December 15.
Get Started Right Now →Free · No obligation · Licensed in 23 states · NPN #22052447
Sources
- HealthCare.gov, dates and deadlines.
- HHS, 2026 poverty guidelines: the 100% and 400% figures for 2027 coverage.
- IRS, Questions and Answers on the Premium Tax Credit: no repayment cap from the 2026 tax year.
- HHS, 2027 cost-sharing limits: the $12,000 out-of-pocket ceiling.
- IRS, Rev. Proc. 2026-26: the 10.22% affordability percentage for 2027.
Nothing here is tax advice; confirm income and credit decisions with your tax preparer. Medically underwritten coverage is not available in every state and acceptance depends on health history. Nothing here is an offer of coverage. Daniel Griffin is a licensed independent insurance agent, NPN #22052447, not tied to any single carrier and not affiliated with the U.S. government.