FAQs About the Marketplace and ACA
Find answers to frequently asked questions about buying coverage on the health insurance marketplaces. Over 200 of our FAQs are now available in Spanish.
Understanding the Health Insurance Marketplaces
These resources are for anyone shopping (or helping someone shop) for health coverage within the health insurance marketplaces created through the Affordable Care Act (also known as the ACA or Obamacare.) For healthcare.gov and in most state-run marketplace, the open enrollment period for 2026 coverage starts on November 1, 2024 (in all states except Idaho) and ends on January 15, 2026 (in most states.) Some states offer later enrollment deadlines, so check your state’s Marketplace to confirm the deadline. Eligible people may also enroll in Medicaid at any point during the year and in Marketplace coverage if they qualify for a special enrollment.
8 Things to Watch for the 2026 ACA Open Enrollment Period
The ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment season begins November 1, and with it comes looming changes to the enhanced premium tax credits, increases in out-of-pocket premiums, and changes to Marketplace enrollment and eligibility rules. These higher costs, combined with having to repay any excess premium credits at tax time, could lead to significant coverage losses and push a growing number of ACA enrollees into bronze and catastrophic health plans with lower premiums and higher deductibles over the coming years.
Calculator: ACA Enhanced Premium Tax Credit
This calculator allows users to compare what they would pay in premiums for ACA Marketplace coverage in 2026 without the enhanced premium tax credits that are set to expire in their current form before the end of the year.
Enhanced Premium tax credits
RECURSOS EN ESPAÑOL
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