Health Insurance for 2027: Marketplace Enrollment Is Open Through January 15, Plus Free Help and Medicaid Basics
Updated: 2 days ago
If you buy your own health insurance or have none, the next few months matter. Enrollment for 2027 Marketplace plans is open now and runs through January 15, 2027, and free, confidential help is available by phone.
Key Dates
HealthCare.gov opened applications for 2027 coverage on November 1, 2026. December 15, 2026 is the last day to enroll or change plans for coverage that starts January 1, 2027. Open Enrollment ends January 15, 2027. If you enroll or change plans between December 16 and January 15, coverage starts February 1, once you pay your first premium.
Free Help Enrolling
The NC Navigator Consortium, led by Legal Aid of North Carolina, gives free, confidential, one-on-one help with HealthCare.gov applications and financial assistance. Call 1-855-733-3711 or schedule at ncnavigator.net. The NC Community Health Center Association also offers free enrollment help at 919-655-0398. If you need to see a doctor while you sort out coverage, Cabarrus Rowan Community Health Centers see patients regardless of insurance.
Have ready your household members' dates of birth and Social Security numbers, an estimate of your 2027 income, and any job-based coverage information.
You May Qualify for NC Medicaid Instead
North Carolina Medicaid covers adults ages 19 to 64 with household income up to 138% of the federal poverty level, and Medicaid applications are taken year-round. Apply at epass.nc.gov, at Cabarrus County Human Services, 1303 S. Cannon Blvd., Kannapolis (704-920-1400), or by calling 1-888-245-0179.
NCDHHS has announced that starting January 1, 2027, most adults in the Medicaid expansion group will need to show work, school or volunteer activity or qualify for an exemption, and renewals will move to every six months. Exemptions include parents and caregivers of children under 14 and pregnant or postpartum people. Keep your contact information current with DSS so you do not miss a notice.
If You Miss the Window, or Your Life Changes
After January 15, 2027, you can enroll in or change a Marketplace plan only if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. HealthCare.gov lists life changes such as moving, losing other coverage, getting married or having a baby. Medicaid applications are accepted at any time of year. If you or a parent have Medicare instead, see our guide to Medicare open enrollment in Cabarrus County, which runs through December 7.
The NC Navigator Consortium says it can answer questions year-round and help eligible people apply for Medicaid, and its website is available in English and Spanish. You can also call the HealthCare.gov line at 1-800-318-2596.
Questions to ask a navigator: Which plans include my doctors and prescriptions? What will I pay in total, counting the deductible, not just the monthly premium? Do I qualify for help lowering my costs?
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Community Support Note: This resource guide is part of Solo Faith Church's community directory. Facts come from HealthCare.gov's dates and deadlines page, the NC Navigator and Legal Aid of NC pages, the NC Community Health Center Association, NC Medicaid's expansion page and NCDHHS's September 1, 2026 news release, read on September 27, 2026. We did not find an in-person navigator site in Cabarrus County. This is general information, not insurance advice. The photograph is a stock image from the Wix free media library. Solo Faith Church has no financial relationship with any organization named here. Expanded on October 25, 2026 with HealthCare.gov's dates and deadlines page and the NC Navigator Consortium website, which confirm Open Enrollment ends January 15, 2027. Updated October 25, 2026: Cabarrus County Human Services address and phone confirmed on cabarruscounty.us (Social Services page) and the NCDHHS county directory. Updated November 13, 2026 to reflect that enrollment is now open.
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