The annual enrollment window
Open Enrollment
Apply for a new Covered California health plan or review and change existing coverage for the next plan year. Confirm the current dates before you apply.
2027 changes and enrollment
Covered California Enrollment for 2027
2027 is a renewal year to re-check your price, financial help, eligibility, and plan network before choosing Covered California coverage.
Local guidance for Orange County households.
When you can apply
Two paths to Covered California enrollment.
Covered California Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 through January 31, 2027. Rates, financial help, and carrier choices are changing, so use renewal season to compare the exact plan available to your household and ZIP code.
After an eligible life change
Special Enrollment
A qualifying life event may let you enroll outside Open Enrollment. Many events use a 60-day window, but the deadline and effective-date rules depend on the event.
Medi-Cal applications are accepted year-round. The Covered California application can screen household members for eligibility.
2027 renewal brief
Four reasons to review your coverage.
Your premium is only one part of the decision. Check the final details for your household and ZIP code before you keep or change a plan.
Proposed statewide average rate change
The 9.9% figure is an average—not your final premium. Actual rates differ by plan and region, and are subject to final review. Shop the exact plan and ZIP code result.
California financial help may expand
For 2027, eligible households up to 200% of the federal poverty level can receive California financial help—$31,920 for one person or $66,000 for a family of four. Apply to confirm the household amount.
Carrier choices are changing
CalOptima Health enters Covered California in Orange County for 2027, while Molina leaves Region 18. Review your doctors, hospitals, prescriptions, and new plan options—not just the premium.
Immigration financial-help rules change
Covered California estimates that more than 130,000 consumers may be affected when federal premium tax credit and cost-sharing reduction eligibility ends for many lawfully present immigrant groups on January 1, 2027.
2026 tax reconciliation: When 2026 taxes are filed in 2027, excess financial help may need to be repaid in full instead of being capped based on income. Keep your income and household information current.
Major 2027 immigration update
Financial help changes for many lawfully present immigrants.
The 2027 change is about eligibility for premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions. It does not automatically make every affected person ineligible to purchase a Covered California plan without financial help.
Read Covered California’s federal changes guide
Groups retaining federal financial help
Lawful permanent residents (green card holders), Cuban and Haitian entrants, and migrants from COFA countries—Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau—retain eligibility under the current 2027 guidance.
Groups losing federal financial help
The affected groups include refugees, people with asylum or pending asylum applications, TPS holders, survivors of trafficking or domestic violence, people with work or student visas, and other humanitarian or temporary lawful statuses.
DACA follows a separate rule
DACA recipients have been ineligible for Covered California health or dental coverage and financial help since August 2025. That is different from the 2027 financial-help change affecting other lawfully present groups.
Confirm each household member separately
Mixed-status families can still apply for eligible household members. Immigration information is requested only for people applying for coverage. Use the official eligibility notice for the final determination; this page is not immigration or tax advice.
Qualifying life events
A life change can open a short enrollment window.
Start with the event date. Eligibility depends on the exact event, when it happened, and the documents available. These are common examples, not a complete list.
Lost health coverage
Loss of job-based coverage, COBRA, Medi-Cal, or another qualifying plan may open a limited enrollment window.
Marriage or partnership
Marriage or entering a domestic partnership can allow eligible household members to apply or change plans.
Birth or adoption
A birth, adoption, or foster placement can create enrollment rights and may use special coverage-start rules.
A qualifying move
A permanent move that gives access to different plans may qualify when Covered California requirements are met.
Before you apply
Timing matters. Keep proof of the event.
Skyline can help organize the application details, review the enrollment window, and compare plans available in your ZIP code.
Check current enrollment dates
Household and income
Gather household members, tax filing details, and projected annual income for the coverage year.
Event date and documents
Keep notices or records showing the qualifying event and the date it occurred.
Plan start and first payment
Confirm the effective date and make the first premium payment required by the carrier to activate coverage.
From our clients
Trusted health coverage guidance from a local team.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Covered California Enrollment for 2027
When is Covered California Open Enrollment for 2027?
Covered California states that Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage runs from November 1, 2026 through January 31, 2027. Confirm the official deadline and effective date before submitting an application or ending other coverage.
Should I renew my current Covered California plan or change plans?
Start by reviewing your renewal notice and comparing the exact 2027 premium, deductible, copays, out-of-pocket maximum, provider network, prescriptions, pharmacy access, and expected household income. The right choice depends on your circumstances and the plans available in your ZIP code.
What does the proposed 9.9% 2027 rate change mean for me?
Covered California has announced a preliminary statewide average rate change of 9.9% for 2027. Your actual premium can differ based on the plan, ages, household income, financial help, and ZIP code, and rates remain subject to final review.
Who may qualify for California financial help in 2027?
Covered California says eligible households with income up to 200% of the federal poverty level may receive California financial help in 2027. That is $31,920 for one person and $66,000 for a family of four; apply or renew to confirm your household amount.
What is changing for Covered California plans in Orange County in 2027?
CalOptima Health is expected to enter Covered California in Orange County for 2027, while Molina leaves Region 18. Compare the exact 2027 network, doctors, hospitals, prescriptions, and pharmacies before choosing a plan.
What financial-help changes should I check before a 2027 renewal?
Some lawfully present immigrants may lose financial-help eligibility in 2027. Also, excess financial help from the 2026 tax year may need to be fully repaid when taxes are filed in 2027. Update income and status information promptly, and use official Covered California guidance for your circumstances.
Ready to compare Covered California?
Talk with a certified local agent.
We can help you organize the plan-comparison questions for Covered California Enrollment for 2027 and your next enrollment step.
A real local team—not a call center.Individual, family, and Covered California guidance.
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