This is the best OEP ever for the ACA for several reasons:
The expanded/enhanced premium subsidies first introduced in 2021 via the American Rescue Plan, which make premiums more affordable for those who already qualified while expanding eligibility to millions who weren't previously eligible, are continuing through the end of 2025 via the Inflation Reduction Act;
A dozen states are either launching, continuing or expanding their own state-based subsidy programs to make ACA plans even more affordable for their enrollees;
100,000 or more DACA recipients are finally eligible to enroll in ACA exchange plans & receive financial assistance!
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reports that 22.8 million consumers have signed up for 2026 individual market health insurance coverage through the Marketplaces since the start of the 2026 Marketplace Open Enrollment Period (OEP) on November 1, 2025. This includes 15.6 million Marketplace plan selections in the 30 states using the HealthCare.gov platform for the 2026 plan year and 7.2 million plan selections in the 20 states and the District of Columbia with state-based Exchanges (SBEs) that are using their own eligibility and enrollment platforms.
Total nationwide plan selections include 2.8 million consumers who are new to the Marketplaces for 2026, and 20.0 million consumers who had active 2025 coverage and selected a plan for 2026 coverage or were automatically re-enrolled.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesotans have four days left to sign up for health insurance through MNsure for the rest of the calendar year. The final deadline to enroll is 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, January 15, for coverage that starts February 1, 2026. After January 15, most Minnesotans will need a major life change, such as moving, getting married, or having a baby, to enroll in health insurance through MNsure—which makes this deadline especially critical.
“Enrollment advice and financial help for Minnesota health care plans are available through the MNsure website,” said MNsure CEO Libby Caulum. “Minnesotans have a variety of plan options to choose from and can shop with confidence on the state’s official health insurance marketplace.”
Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives finally voted on a clean, 3-year extension of the enhanced ACA tax credits which had been in place for the prior five years, and which over 22 million Americans (myself included) were relying on to keep their health insurance premiums at affordable levels until they expired at the end of December 2025.
In the end, 17 House Republicans voted with all 213 House Democrats to extend the improved tax credit formula through the end of 2028. Thirteen of the seventeen GOP "Yea" votes represent swing districts (the remaining four were Maria Elvira Salazar in FL-27, Andrew Garbarino of NY-02, David Joyce of OH-14 and Monica DeLa Cruz of TX-15).
Apply by Jan. 15 for health and dental insurance with state and federal savings for those who qualify
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Amid federal uncertainty, including the loss of enhanced premium tax credits (ePTCs), more than 278,000 Washingtonians have signed up for health and dental insurance for 2026 through Washington Healthplanfinder. One week remains for Washington residents to visit wahealthplanfinder.org or work with a trusted resource in their community to find out what health and dental insurance options are available for this new year. The deadline for this year’s open enrollment is Jan. 15, for coverage that starts on Feb. 1.
Massachusetts is investing $600 million – the most in the country – to limit health care premium increases after President Trump and Congressional Republicans refused to extend ACA credits
BOSTON—Governor Maura Healey today detailed the strongest plan in the country* to protect Massachusetts residents from health care cost increases after President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans refused to extend Federal Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTC) under the Affordable Care Act. 22 million Americans, including hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents who get their health insurance through the Massachusetts Health Connector, have relied on these credits to afford their health insurance.
Now that we're into January and there have been several more Open Enrollment deadline extensions, it's time for another updated rundown of the remaining deadlines are for every state and what your options are if you miss them.
This is basically a standalone version of the first section of my annual Open Enrollment Guide; I hope that separating it out will make it less overwhelming.
IDAHO: December 15th was the only deadline for 2026 coverage. If you missed it, you're out of luck unless you qualify for one of the following exceptions:
Last week I issued a warning that once the 2026 ACA Open Enrollment Period ends in a few weeks, the Trump Regime is likely to crow about total enrollment "only" dropping by perhaps a million people compared to a year ago (while also blaming all of that loss on "fraudulent enrollees" etc etc) even though enrollment will actually likely drop by several times as many over the next few months.
As I explained, the reason for this is that around half of the ~22 million enrollees as of last fall likely allowed themselves to be passively auto-renewed into the same plans, meaning that they'll be counted as having "selected" a plan for 2026 even if many of them immediately cancel it as soon as they see the shocking rate hikes. Others will stick it out for a few months before not being able to afford their coverage any longer & dropping out of the market altogether.
