Just two days before the start of the open enrollment period for Obamacare, the United States Government announced that more than 75% of consumers seeking health coverage through HealthCare.gov will have plans available with monthly premiums of $50 or less for 2027, an increase of at least 13% compared to 2026.
The estimate was released this Friday by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which published the official information on prices and health insurance options available for the upcoming year.
The figure represents an increase in premiums of at least 13%, yet it is still an opportunity for millions of families who rely on the Health Insurance Market of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), popularly known as Obamacare.
The authorities clarified that this does not mean that all insured individuals will pay $50 monthly. The final price will depend on factors such as family income, age, place of residence, number of household members, and the chosen plan.
When does enrollment for Obamacare begin?
The open enrollment period will begin this Sunday, November 1, and will extend until January 15, 2027, in states that use HealthCare.gov.
People who want to start the year with health coverage must complete their enrollment or make changes to their policy by December 15th.
In that case, the insurance will come into effect on January 1, 2027, provided that the initial payment is made to the insurer.
Those who register between December 16 and January 15 will have coverage starting from February 1.
Authorities recommend reviewing the available options, even for those who already hold a policy, as prices, medical networks, and benefits can change from year to year.
According to the CMS report, those eligible for premium tax credits will have nearly 90% of the lowest-cost plan available through the federal government covered, compared to 85% recorded in 2020, the last year not affected by temporary pandemic policies.
In terms of variety of offerings, the national average for 2027 is 100 different plans and between five and six insurers per consumer.
Additionally, thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts law, all buyers on HealthCare.gov will have access to plans eligible for Health Savings Accounts (HSA), with an average of 35 HSA-eligible options per person, which CMS describes as an increase of more than 1,000% compared to the period before that law.
Catastrophic plans, which include preventive care with no copay and coverage for pre-existing conditions, have an average premium that is nearly 10% lower than the next cheapest plan at other coverage levels.
A significant change for immigrants will take effect on January 1, 2027: starting from that date, only three immigration categories will be eligible for premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions.
According to HealthCare.gov, these categories include lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders), Cuban or Haitian entrants as defined by federal law, and migrants under the Compact of Free Association (COFA).
These changes in eligibility requirements and conditions for accessing federal subsidies could leave millions of people without financial assistance to pay for their medical coverage.
It is essential to clarify that Cuban nationality alone does not equate to the federal category Cuban or Haitian entrant: that classification depends on the immigration status recognized by federal authorities, not on the country of birth. Other immigrants with legal presence —including refugees, asylees, and people with Temporary Protected Status (TPS)— will still be able to purchase Marketplace plans, but without the right to those savings.
Florida, a state with a high concentration of Cubans that operates under the federal platform, is among the states that use HealthCare.gov for 2027. The context in this state is more complex: individual gross premiums rose an average of 10.4% before subsidies, and three insurers —Cigna, Sunshine Health, and Molina— have left Florida's individual market for the next year, reducing the available options.
The final price and the exact subsidy can only be confirmed by completing the application on HealthCare.gov, where a preview tool allows you to estimate costs by entering your zip code, household size, and estimated income. The FTC also issued warnings to 25 companies for potentially misleading advertising of health insurance just before the enrollment period opened, serving as a reminder to always verify information directly on the official portal.
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