Ohio open enrollment 2027 Open enrollment · Ohio

Ohio 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 Ohio, 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

Ohio's average 2027 rate change is 16.3% (finalized). The details are on the Ohio 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.

Ohio this year

Ohio's final individual average for 2027 is 16.3 percent, and the 22 percent jump for small-group plans ranks among the sharpest group increases Frank sees. Ohio has a large, competitive Marketplace, especially around Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati, so a person between jobs usually has real choices on HealthCare.gov. Manufacturing and skilled-trade contractors, healthcare contractors and truckers running I-70 and I-75 who lose work involuntarily can use Ohio's rule: a year of continuation for anyone with three months of continuous coverage, never priced above the group rate.

State continuation in Ohio: Ohio requires insured group plans to offer 12 months of continuation to employees who lose coverage through involuntary termination, after three months of continuous coverage, at no more than the group rate.

One thing to do before you choose

Ohio continuation covers involuntary termination, so if you resigned, plan on a new policy rather than the old one. Laid-off Ohioans should compare a year at the group rate against Marketplace plans in their area, where many insurers compete in the larger metros. Sign up by mid-December for coverage starting on New Year's Day, or within 60 days after losing the job plan.

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 Ohio 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 Ohio. 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 Ohio?

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

Why would I pick Ohio state continuation over a HealthCare.gov plan?

Mainly to keep the same doctors and plan during a job search. Ohio holds the cost to the group rate for as long as 12 months after an involuntary termination. If your income drops enough for a subsidy, a Marketplace plan may cost less, so price both before the election deadline.

Can I get a private plan in Ohio 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 Ohio

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