Delaware Open Enrollment for 2027 Coverage
Last updated November 3, 2026 · By Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance broker
Short answer
Open enrollment for 2027 coverage in Delaware runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. Enroll by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1; plans picked December 16–January 15 start February 1. Private, medically underwritten plans don't use the window: if approved, they can start the first of any month.
Key dates for Delaware
| What | HealthCare.gov |
|---|---|
| Open enrollment opens | November 1, 2026 |
| Open enrollment closes | January 15, 2027 |
| Deadline for a January 1, 2027 start | December 15, 2026 |
| Plans picked December 16 to January 15 | Start February 1, 2027 |
| Private plans | Any month, if approved |
Delaware at a glance
- Where Delaware buys Marketplace plans: HealthCare.gov, the federal Marketplace
- 2027 average rate change: 16.4% to 16.5% (finalized)
- Insurers leaving for 2027: one
- Small-group average change: about 18%
- Largest metro areas: Wilmington, Dover, Newark and Middletown
- Medicaid expansion: Yes (a separate program, not tied to this window)
What changed for 2027
Delaware's 2027 change is two things at once: one fewer insurer and an average increase of about 16.5 percent, with small-group plans up even more, about 18 percent. The state's reinsurance program, which held premiums down in past years, could not fully offset this year's pressures. More detail is on the Delaware 2027 premium increase page.
For Delaware households buying 2027 coverage, the Marketplace premium tax credit stops at 400% of the federal poverty level: $63,840 for one person, $86,560 for two, $109,280 for three and $132,000 for four. The repayment caps were removed starting with tax year 2026, so any excess advance credit is repaid in full on Form 8962. General information, not tax advice — confirm with your CPA based on your specific entity structure.
Who this year's window matters for in Delaware
Delaware's 2027 window comes with a forced decision for some households: one of the state's three individual-market insurers is leaving, and its enrollees can be moved automatically into a remaining insurer's plan. Before you accept that, check whether your doctors in Wilmington, Dover or at the beaches are in the new network. Delaware enrolls through HealthCare.gov under a state partnership, and small-group plans are rising even faster than individual ones, about 18 percent.
Self-employed work that is common in Delaware, and the people I most often help there: financial services and legal contractors in Wilmington, construction trades, real estate agents and hospitality owners in the Sussex County beach towns, poultry farm families, and small business owners along the Route 1 corridor.
Before you renew in Delaware
Many Delawareans get care across a state line, in Philadelphia, Baltimore or on Maryland's Eastern Shore, and a Delaware plan's network may not follow them there. Ask whether your specialists are in network for 2027, and if the insurer leaving is yours, use the full window instead of letting the replacement plan decide for you. Small employers facing an 18 percent group renewal can price individual coverage alongside it.
Should you renew, switch, or look at private?
Auto-renew risk
Do nothing and HealthCare.gov re-enrolls you at the new 2027 price, 16.4% to 16.5% higher on average in Delaware. With one insurer leaving, some Delaware renewals land in a plan from a different company.
Healthy, income above the line
Price a private plan in Delaware too. If approved, it can start the first of any month, with no wait for Delaware's window.
Health conditions or subsidy-eligible income
Use the Marketplace. HealthCare.gov plans can't decline you or charge more for your health.
Checklist before you pick a plan
- Your Delaware renewal notice
- The new 2027 premium and deductible
- Doctors and prescriptions still in network, including any care in Wilmington or Dover
- Your 2027 income estimate
Missed it?
After Delaware's window closes, a Marketplace plan needs a special enrollment event: losing other coverage, a move, marriage or a baby, generally within 60 days, through HealthCare.gov. Check with Can I enroll now? or the missed open enrollment guide.
Leaving a job in Delaware? Delaware requires insured group plans of employers with 1 to 19 employees to offer up to nine months of continuation after three months of coverage, at no more than 102 percent of the group rate.
Short-term plans, if you only need a bridge: Delaware limits short-term plans to three months, with no back-to-back renewals, under its insurance regulation. They are not Marketplace coverage.
In Delaware, a private, medically underwritten plan needs no event. If approved, it starts the first of a month; approval is not guaranteed.
Compare Delaware plans before you renew
Private plans priced first, the Marketplace alongside when it fits. Phone or video, English or Spanish, no fee.
About your broker
Frank Caballero (NPN 21032307) is a health insurance broker licensed in 31 states including Delaware. Phone or video, English or Spanish, no fee. BBB Accredited (A) and rated 4.9 on Google from 78 reviews. He is independent, not HealthCare.gov or a government agency.
Delaware open enrollment questions
When does open enrollment end in Delaware for 2027?
January 15, 2027, on HealthCare.gov, the federal Marketplace. Pick a plan by December 15 for a January 1 start in Delaware.
What happens if I miss the December 15 deadline in Delaware?
You can still enroll through January 15, but a plan picked after December 15 starts February 1.
Can I get a private plan in Delaware outside open enrollment?
Yes. In Delaware you can apply in any month, and if approved, a private, medically underwritten plan starts the first of a month; the insurer can decline based on health.
Will I be auto-renewed in Delaware?
Usually, at the 2027 price: 16.4% to 16.5% higher on average. With one insurer leaving, some Delaware renewals land in a plan from a different company.
Is there a fee to use a broker in Delaware?
No. Delaware clients pay nothing; the insurance company pays the broker, and Marketplace premiums are the same with or without one.
What if my Delaware insurer is leaving for 2027?
You will get a notice, and the Marketplace may place you in a plan from a remaining insurer. You can pick a different plan at any point during open enrollment, and a choice made by December 15 starts January 1. If you are healthy and above the subsidy line, a private plan is another route; if approved, it can start the first of a month.
More for Delaware
Official sources: HealthCare.gov, the federal Marketplace; HealthCare.gov: special enrollment periods. HealthCare.gov is the federal Marketplace. FC Insurance Solutions is an independent, licensed brokerage and is not affiliated with any government agency.
Written by Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance broker in Delaware and 30 other states, NPN 21032307. Last updated November 3, 2026.