Utah open enrollment 2027 Open enrollment · Utah

Utah 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 Utah, 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

Utah's average 2027 rate change is 6.7% to 7.4% (finalized). The details are on the Utah 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.

Utah this year

Utah's roughly 7 percent increase for 2027 is finalized and one of the smaller changes Frank tracks, while small-group plans rise about 10.4 percent. Several of the six filing insurers are connected to big integrated health systems. Tech and software contractors around Lehi and Salt Lake City, direct-sales distributors and ski-town seasonal workers often hit gaps between gigs. Utah's mini-COBRA law covers people who do not qualify for federal COBRA: insured employer group plans must offer 12 months of continued coverage to anyone enrolled for at least three months, with the premium capped at 102 percent.

State continuation in Utah: Utah's mini-COBRA law requires insured employer group plans to offer 12 months of continued coverage to people who are not eligible for federal COBRA, after at least three months on the plan, at no more than 102 percent of the group rate.

One thing to do before you choose

For a Utah tech worker between contracts, the key question is whether the next job starts within a few months. If so, Utah mini-COBRA or federal COBRA may keep your current doctors inside one integrated system. If the gap could stretch, price a HealthCare.gov plan with 2027 income, since a single person under $63,840 can get help and the modest increase makes full price easier to carry.

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 Utah 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 Utah. 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 Utah?

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 worked for a Provo startup with 11 people. Can I use Utah mini-COBRA?

Likely yes, if the policy is insured and you were enrolled three months or more. Utah requires 12 months of continued coverage for people outside federal COBRA, with the cost limited to 102 percent. A self-funded plan would fall outside that rule.

Can I get a private plan in Utah 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 Utah

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