Michigan open enrollment 2027 Open enrollment · Michigan

Michigan Open Enrollment 2027 for People Between Jobs

Last updated November 3, 2026 · By Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance broker

Short answer

For people between jobs in Michigan, open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov, and December 15 is the date to choose by for a January 1 start. If you are healthy, a private, medically underwritten plan is another route that ignores the calendar: if approved, it can start the first of any month, right after your job coverage ends.

What 2027 looks like for you

Michigan's average 2027 rate change is 14.5% (finalized). The details are on the Michigan 2027 premium increase page.

Losing job-based coverage opens a 60-day special enrollment period, and open enrollment runs at the same time this fall, so most people between jobs have two doors open at once. Federal COBRA, where it applies, lasts up to 18 months at up to 102% of the full premium. Any Marketplace subsidy depends on your 2027 household income, with the line at $63,840 for one person and $86,560 for two.

Michigan this year

Michigan's individual market settles at a 14.5 percent average increase for 2027, and small-group coverage rises about 10 percent. The state's insurer roster is longer than most, with regional HMOs connected to Detroit and Grand Rapids hospital systems, so prices within one metal level spread widely. Auto engineering contractors, tradespeople and seasonal businesses Up North share a gap, though: no Michigan law extends small employer plans after a job ends. Leave a company with under 20 workers and group coverage generally ends with the job, while federal COBRA still applies at larger ones.

State continuation in Michigan: Michigan has no state continuation law for small employer plans, so people leaving an employer with fewer than 20 workers generally lose group coverage when the job ends, while federal COBRA still applies at larger employers.

One thing to do before you choose

If your Michigan job was at a small shop, assume coverage stops on your last day and plan the replacement that week. Shop HealthCare.gov plans side by side within the same metal level, since the spread between Michigan insurers can be large. An engineer whose 2027 income will top $63,840 as a single person pays full price, which makes a private quote worth requesting.

Your checklist

The exact date your job coverage ends, in writing
Your COBRA notice and its election deadline
Severance and final pay in your 2027 income estimate
A private quote while COBRA is still in reserve

Private plan or Marketplace?

Private plan

Healthy and between roles: priced on age, ZIP code and health, with COBRA kept in reserve. Approval depends on health answers; not an ACA Marketplace plan.

Marketplace

Ongoing treatment, or a year of lower income: HealthCare.gov must accept you within the 60-day window or during open enrollment.

Compare Michigan plans this open enrollment

Private plans priced first, the Marketplace alongside when it fits. Phone or video, English or Spanish, no fee.

Get a quote Book a call (786) 218-2384

About your broker

Frank Caballero (NPN 21032307), licensed in 31 states including Michigan. Phone or video, English or Spanish, no fee; independent, not HealthCare.gov or any government agency.

Questions

When is the 2027 open enrollment deadline in Michigan?

January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. Choose by December 15, 2026 for coverage that starts January 1; plans picked after that start February 1.

I was laid off by a Michigan auto supplier with 400 workers. What are my options?

An employer that size is generally covered by federal COBRA, which normally lasts 18 months at most, priced at no more than 2 percent above the full premium. You also have 60 days to pick a Marketplace plan, plus open enrollment through January 15, 2027. Private coverage is a third option, with approval tied to your health answers.

Can I get a private plan in Michigan after open enrollment closes?

Yes. You can apply in any month and, if approved, a private plan can start the first of a month; the insurer can decline based on health answers.

More for Michigan

Official sources: HealthCare.gov, the federal Marketplace; HealthCare.gov: special enrollment periods. 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 Michigan and 30 other states, NPN 21032307. Last updated November 3, 2026.