Texas open enrollment 2027 Open enrollment · Texas

Texas Open Enrollment 2027 for Early Retirees

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

Short answer

For early retirees under 65 in Texas, 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. A private, medically underwritten plan does not depend on the window: if approved, it can start the first of any month, including the month after your last day of work.

What 2027 looks like for you

Texas's average 2027 rate change is 13.1% to 14.1% (finalized). Two insurers are leaving Texas's individual market, so some renewals arrive as a plan you did not pick. The details are on the Texas 2027 premium increase page.

For 2027 the subsidy line is $63,840 for one person and $86,560 for a couple. Pension income and withdrawals from pre-tax retirement accounts generally count toward it, and Marketplace prices for the oldest adults can run up to three times those for a 21-year-old, so the early sixties are the costliest years to land just over the line. General information, not tax advice — confirm with your CPA based on your specific entity structure.

Texas this year

Texas heads into 2027 with a finalized average increase of about 13 to 14 percent, slightly under the national figure, and one of the most crowded markets anywhere, with about 15 insurers. Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio offer the widest choice; West Texas and the Rio Grande Valley offer far less. Many Marketplace plans in the big metros are HMOs with narrow networks. For an early-retired couple, last year's pick may not be this year's value, and age pricing near 64 magnifies every difference. Household income above $86,560 for two means no subsidy at all.

Leaving a job in Texas? Texas requires insured group plans to offer state continuation for up to nine months to people not eligible for COBRA, or six more months after COBRA ends, at the group rate plus 2 percent. It does not apply to self-funded employer plans. Federal COBRA normally lasts 18 months, so it rarely covers the whole stretch to 65 on its own.

One thing to do before you choose

Texans who leave a larger employer on federal COBRA, which normally lasts 18 months, get an extra option: the state lets insured group plans extend coverage six more months after COBRA ends, for the group rate plus 2 percent. That can stretch a bridge toward 65. Ask your former plan whether it is insured, since self-funded plans are outside the rule, then compare against HealthCare.gov.

Your checklist

Which accounts you will draw from in 2027
Networks where you live, in and outside Texas
Your prescriptions on each drug list
The month you turn 65

Private plan or Marketplace?

Private plan

Healthy, with withdrawals above the line: priced on age, ZIP code and health, not your retirement income. Approval depends on health answers; not an ACA Marketplace plan.

Marketplace

An ongoing condition, or income you can keep under the line: HealthCare.gov must accept you, and near 65 the subsidy can be large.

Compare Texas 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 Texas. 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 Texas?

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

We retired to the Hill Country, and the doctors we trust practice in San Antonio. What should we look for?

Look for a plan whose network actually includes those San Antonio doctors and the hospital they use. Many Texas Marketplace plans are HMOs with narrow networks, and with about 15 insurers the options shift each year. I check your doctors first, then compare 2027 prices.

Can I get a private plan in Texas 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 Texas

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