Iowa uses HealthCare.gov as its Marketplace. For 2027 coverage, Open Enrollment runs from November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027. Those are the dates on HealthCare.gov as of September 26, 2026, and CMS confirmed them in writing in August. Here's why you'll still see December 15 on a lot of websites, and why that date still matters even though it isn't the deadline.
The two-deadline rule
- Enroll by December 15, 2026 and your coverage starts January 1, 2027.
- Enroll December 16 through January 15 and your coverage starts February 1, 2027.
If you're currently uninsured, or your current plan ends December 31, a January enrollment leaves you with a gap month. So the practical deadline for most people is still December 15. The January 15 window is for people who missed it, or who want to change a plan that auto-renewed.
Why so many sites say December 15 is the end
In 2025, CMS issued a rule that would have shortened Open Enrollment to November 1 through December 15 starting with plan year 2027. On June 12, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland vacated that part of the rule. The federal government appealed, and the Fourth Circuit is scheduled to hear argument on October 30, 2026. In the meantime the longer window stands, which is why HealthCare.gov shows January 15.
Because the appeal is live, the end date could still change after October 30. We'll re-check the first week of November and update this page. Either way, December 15 for January 1 coverage does not change.
Other 2027 dates worth writing down
- Medicare Annual Enrollment: October 15 to December 7, 2026 (Medicare.gov). This is for Medicare Advantage and Part D changes, and it's a completely separate window from the Marketplace.
- Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 to March 31, 2027 (Medicare.gov).
- Renewal notices: insurers mail 2027 premiums and plan changes in October. Read yours. A plan that's leaving Iowa, like Medica, will say so there.
What changes in 2027 besides the dates
The year-round special enrollment period for households under 150% of the federal poverty level ends starting plan year 2027 (H.R. 1, 2025). The enhanced tax credits that expired at the end of 2025 are not back, so the subsidy cutoff at 400% of the poverty level applies (KFF). If your income sits near that line, an hour with us before you enroll can matter more than the plan you pick.
Sources
- HealthCare.gov, dates and deadlines for 2027 coverage (reviewed September 26, 2026).
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, June 12, 2026 order vacating portions of the 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability rule; Fourth Circuit argument scheduled October 30, 2026.
- CMS written confirmation of the January 15, 2027 end date, August 2026.
- Medicare.gov, Annual Enrollment and Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment periods.
- KFF, expiration of enhanced premium tax credits and return of the 400% FPL cutoff.
- H.R. 1 (2025), plan year 2027 changes to Marketplace special enrollment periods.