2027 Open Enrollment Begins With 15% Premium Hikes and New ID Checks

Open enrollment for Affordable Care Act coverage begins November 1 in most states, introducing a 15% average premium increase and new identity verification rules. The period marks the first shopping season since enhanced subsidies expired at the end of 2025, a change policy experts say led millions of people to drop or lose coverage earlier this year.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has implemented stricter scrutiny for consumers using agents in the federal marketplace, which serves 29 states. These new rules require consumers to authorize specific agents via a one-time confirmation code sent by text, email, or automated phone call. Consumers classified as high risk, such as first-time applicants or those with monthly premiums of $30 or less, must also verify their identity through a third-party service like Experian.

Joshua Brooker, an insurance agency owner in Pennsylvania, noted that the agency appears to target individuals moving states or switching brokers to prevent impersonation. He estimated that up to one in five consumers may face extra identity proofing, a hurdle that could cause some to forgo insurance. Stacey Pogue, a senior research fellow at Georgetown University, warned that these changes might create extra hurdles for people without established credit files or those who have changed names.

A September rule places a moratorium on brokers new to offering ACA coverage. Agents not registered with the federal marketplace in 2026 cannot assist with 2027 enrollments until February, after the open enrollment season ends. CMS cited a disproportionate number of compliance concerns from newly registered agents as the reason for the pause. The National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals filed a lawsuit on October 15, arguing the rule unfairly targets 19,000 agents.

Jason Fine, a Florida brokerage owner, said the move benefits larger call centers that can maintain year-round staff. He noted that smaller agencies often struggle to find registered agents during the peak season. Fine expressed concern that the short-term chaos of the rule change outweighs its long-term benefits for fraud prevention.

Subsidy eligibility remains income-based, cutting off for households earning more than four times the federal poverty rate. For a single person, that threshold is $63,840, while for a family of three, it is $109,280. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act removes subsidy eligibility for many lawfully present immigrants, including H-1B visa holders, refugees, and asylees. Only green-card holders, certain Cuban and Haitian immigrants, and citizens of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, or Palau remain eligible for subsidies.

Out-of-pocket maximums are also rising. In 2027, the cap will increase by 13% to $12,000 for individual coverage and $24,000 for family coverage. Louise Norris, a health policy analyst for HealthInsurance.org, advised consumers to compare plans rather than allowing auto-renewal, as premiums and deductibles can change annually. Several insurers, including Cigna, have dropped all or part of their ACA coverage areas.