About ACA Open Enrollment Deadline
Open enrollment on Healthcare.gov runs from November 1 to January 15 for most states, and the countdown above tracks the next deadline in that window. Two dates matter, not one: enrol by December 15 and coverage starts January 1; enrol between December 16 and January 15 and it starts February 1 instead, leaving a month uncovered.
Outside the window you cannot buy a Marketplace plan at all unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period — a move, a marriage, a birth, or losing job-based coverage. That is what makes this a genuine deadline rather than a suggestion: for most people it is the only chance of the year.
Fifteen or so state-run marketplaces set their own calendars, and several — California, New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia among them — run later into January. The federal window is what this page counts down to; if your state runs its own exchange, check its date as well.
Upcoming dates
| 2026 | Tuesday, December 15, 2026next |
| 2027 | Friday, January 15, 2027 |
| 2027 | Wednesday, December 15, 2027 |
| 2028 | Saturday, January 15, 2028 |
FAQ
When is the Healthcare.gov open enrollment deadline?
ACA Open Enrollment Deadline is on Tuesday, December 15, 2026. That is 68 days from today. December 15 is the deadline for coverage starting January 1. The window itself closes on January 15, with coverage then starting February 1.
What happens if I miss open enrollment?
You generally cannot buy a Marketplace plan until the next open enrollment, unless a qualifying life event — moving, marriage, a new baby, losing job-based coverage — opens a Special Enrollment Period.
Do all states use the same dates?
No. Healthcare.gov serves most states on the November 1 to January 15 window, while several state-run marketplaces, including California, New York, New Jersey and DC, extend into late January.
Do the dates change each year?
The November 1 to January 15 window is set in federal rule and has repeated year to year; exact dates for each cycle are confirmed by CMS ahead of it.