Missouri open enrollment 2027 Open enrollment · Missouri

Missouri 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 Missouri, 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

Missouri's average 2027 rate change is 12.3% (finalized). The details are on the Missouri 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.

Missouri this year

Missouri's 2027 individual figure, now approved, is about 12.3 percent, while group plans for small businesses rise about 16.5 percent. Six insurers filed, more competition than many neighbors, and Missouri has neither a reinsurance program nor a state premium subsidy. IT and healthcare contractors around St. Louis and Kansas City, and anyone leaving a small Springfield business, should know the state rule: when an employer is below the federal COBRA size, its insured group plan must offer continuation in the same manner as COBRA, generally up to 18 months. Self-funded employer plans sit outside that rule.

State continuation in Missouri: Missouri requires insured group plans of employers too small for federal COBRA to offer continuation in the same manner as federal COBRA, which generally means up to 18 months after leaving the job. It does not apply to self-funded employer plans.

One thing to do before you choose

Ask your former Missouri employer one question first: is the health plan insured or self-funded? If it is insured and the company has fewer than 20 workers, you likely have state continuation, generally capped at 18 months. If it is self-funded, that rule does not reach you. Either way, compare against the final Marketplace prices now posted for your area, and enroll by December 15 for January.

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 Missouri 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 Missouri. 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 Missouri?

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

Does Missouri state continuation work the same way as COBRA?

Largely, yes. Missouri requires insured plans at businesses below the federal COBRA size to offer continuation in the same manner, which generally means continuing as many as 18 months after you leave. Self-funded plans are not included, and you should expect to pay the premium yourself.

Can I get a private plan in Missouri 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 Missouri

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 Missouri and 30 other states, NPN 21032307. Last updated November 3, 2026.