ACA open enrollment for 2027 coverage opens Sunday, November 1, 2026 on HealthCare.gov, and you have until December 15 to pick a plan that starts January 1. Insurers proposed a median 15% premium increase for 2027 (KFF) – but what you actually pay depends mainly on your income: a single person earning $40,000 should pay no more than about $289 a month for the benchmark silver plan, while a couple earning $1 over $86,560 gets no help at all.
The enhanced premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025, so the old "subsidy cliff" at 400% of the federal poverty level is back. Below, we calculate the maximum benchmark premium at different incomes using the IRS's 2027 percentages, follow three illustrative households through next year, and give you a short checklist for the six weeks of open enrollment.
The 2027 rules that decide your price
Premium tax credits work by capping what you pay for the second-lowest-cost silver ("benchmark") plan at a percentage of your household income. For 2027, IRS Revenue Procedure 2026-26 sets that percentage between 2.15% and 10.22%, rising with income. Above 400% of the poverty level, there is no credit.
For 2027 coverage, 400% of the poverty level is $63,840 for one person, $86,560 for a couple and $132,000 for a family of four (based on the 2026 federal poverty guidelines). Crucially, it is your expected 2027 income that counts, not this year's – and the credit is reconciled on your 2027 tax return.
| Household income (2027) | % of poverty level | Max you pay for benchmark plan | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 (single) | 157% | 4.63% of income | $96 |
| $40,000 (single) | 251% | 8.68% of income | $289 |
| $55,000 (single) | 345% | 10.22% of income | $468 |
| $63,840 (single) | 400% | 10.22% of income | $544 |
| $60,000 (couple) | 277% | 9.51% of income | $476 |
| $80,000 (couple) | 370% | 10.22% of income | $681 |
| $90,000 (couple) | 416% | No credit – full price | Full premium |
| $100,000 (family of 4) | 303% | 10.22% of income | $852 |
Our calculations from the Rev. Proc. 2026-26 applicable percentage table (linear within each band) and 2026 poverty guidelines. If the benchmark premium in your area is lower than the cap, you pay the actual premium.
Three households, one year (illustrative examples)
These are illustrative examples, not real people, to show how the same 15% headline lands very differently.
Denise, 58, single, expects $40,000 in 2027
At about 251% of the poverty level, Denise's benchmark silver plan is capped at roughly $289 a month – about $3,472 for the year. If insurers in her area raise list prices 15%, her subsidy grows to absorb most of it, as long as she picks a plan priced at or below the benchmark. Her risk is staying auto-renewed into a plan that has moved above it.
Maria and Tom, 62 and 60, expect $80,000
At 370% of the poverty level, they pay at most 10.22% of income for the benchmark: about $681 a month, or $8,176 a year. That's a big bill – but it is capped. If one of them picks up extra consulting work and income ends up at $90,000, they cross the cliff.
Linda and Paul, 63 and 61, expect $90,000
With no credit at all, they pay full price. Suppose their silver plan cost $1,500 a month in 2026 (a hypothetical figure – KFF notes premiums for people in their early 60s can be up to three times those of younger adults). A 15% rise takes it to $1,725 a month: $20,700 for the year, or $2,700 more than 2026.
Annual benchmark-plan cost in 2027, our calculations.
A couple on $86,560 pays at most about $737 a month for the benchmark plan. Earn one dollar more, and they pay the full price.
That cliff is exactly why the next six weeks matter. The number you enter as your expected 2027 income – and the plan you click – can be worth thousands of dollars, and most people make the decision in a hurry in mid-December with no clear picture of what they can actually afford each month.
From the Woman Power Journal shop
A 15% premium jump is a budgeting problem first: you need to see, in one place, what the new premium does to every other bill before December 15.
The Matriarch Money Dashboard – Budget Spreadsheet
- Plug in two or three plan premiums and instantly see what's left for everything else each month
- Track your expected 2027 income month by month – the figure your subsidy is based on
- Set aside a deductible and out-of-pocket buffer so a bronze plan doesn't become a surprise bill
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See what's inside →Your open enrollment checklist: Nov 1 to Dec 15
| When | Do this |
|---|---|
| Nov 1–7 | Log in to HealthCare.gov (or your state exchange) and look at your 2027 renewal notice and new premium |
| Nov 1–15 | Update your expected 2027 income – include side work, Social Security and withdrawals |
| By Dec 1 | Compare at least three plans on total yearly cost (premium x 12 + deductible), not just the monthly premium |
| By Dec 1 | Check whether your insurer is leaving – KFF counts 11 insurers exiting and 6 joining for 2027 |
| By Dec 15 | Choose your plan for January 1 coverage |
| By Jan 15 | Last chance for February 1 coverage in HealthCare.gov states |
Some state-run exchanges have different dates – e.g. California, New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island run to January 31.
If your current insurer is pulling out, start with Is Your ACA Insurer Leaving in 2027? What to Do From November 1. Comparing with job-based cover? See Health Insurance Premiums 2026: $7,471 Family Cost, Per Paycheck.
Two more numbers worth knowing: KFF puts the average 2026 bronze deductible at about $7,500, and the 2027 out-of-pocket maximum for one person is reported at $12,000, up from $10,600. A low premium with a huge deductible can cost more over a year if you use care regularly.
Turning 65 soon? Medicare has its own window – our Medicare Open Enrollment 2027 checklist covers it.
Frequently asked questions
When is ACA open enrollment for 2027?
On HealthCare.gov it runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027; enroll by December 15 for coverage starting January 1. Some state exchanges have different dates.
How much are ACA premiums going up in 2027?
KFF's review of insurers' filings found a median proposed increase of about 15% before subsidies – the second year in a row of double-digit rises. If you get a premium tax credit, your own increase may be much smaller.
What is the ACA subsidy cliff for 2027?
With the enhanced credits expired, no premium tax credit is available above 400% of the poverty level: $63,840 for one person, $86,560 for a couple and $132,000 for a family of four for 2027 coverage.
Free, unbiased help is available from local Navigators through HealthCare.gov, and the CFPB has free budgeting tools if the new premium squeezes everything else.
Sources
- KFF – How much and why ACA Marketplace premiums are going up in 2027
- AARP – Key changes coming to 2027 ACA open enrollment (26 Oct 2026)
- Current Federal Tax Developments – Revenue Procedure 2026-26: 2027 premium tax credit percentages
- JOLT Journal – ACA Open Enrollment 2027: dates, premiums and 6 checks
- HealthCare.gov – Official Health Insurance Marketplace
- CFPB – Budgeting tools
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Educational content only. Not personalised financial advice.