2027 Open Enrollment in Texas and Oklahoma: dates, deadlines and what changed.

The 2027 Open Enrollment dates.

These dates were not a given. A 2025 federal rule would have ended Open Enrollment on December 31 starting with 2027 coverage. A federal court in Maryland vacated that change in June 2026 (City of Columbus v. Kennedy), and CMS confirmed the November 1 to January 15 window in statements on July 27, July 31 and August 4, 2026. HHS has appealed, so we recheck the dates weekly through January 15. Picking a plan by December 15 is safe under any outcome.

What changed for 2027.

• The enhanced premium tax credits are gone. They expired December 31, 2025. For 2027 coverage the credit generally stops at 400% of the poverty level, which is $63,840 for one person and $132,000 for a family of four. See the subsidy cliff guide.
• Your expected share of the benchmark plan went up. The top required contribution is 10.22% of household income for 2027, up from 9.96% in 2026 (IRS Rev. Proc. 2026-26).
• Out-of-pocket maximums rose to $12,000 for one person and $24,000 for a family.
• No more repayment caps. Starting with tax year 2026, if your income ends up higher than you estimated, you repay all of the extra credit. See paying back the premium tax credit.
• The low-income monthly enrollment window is gone. The Special Enrollment Period for people under 150% of the poverty level was removed in 2025 and was not restored. The monthly window for enrolled tribal members still applies.
• Every bronze and catastrophic plan is HSA-compatible starting in 2026, which matters if you like to save pre-tax for medical bills.

What to do before December 15.

1. Update your income estimate for 2027. Your credit is based on what you expect to earn next year, not last year. Getting this right now avoids a tax bill later.
2. Log in and look at your renewal. Insurers change networks, drug lists and prices every year. The plan you have may not be the best value in 2027, even if it was last year.
3. Check your doctors and prescriptions against each plan's network and drug list. Nearly every Texas Marketplace plan in the big metro counties is an HMO, EPO or POS, not a PPO, so going out of network can mean no coverage.
4. Look at silver if your income is under 250% of the poverty level. Cost-sharing reductions only come on silver plans. See cost-sharing reductions.
5. Pick by December 15 if you want coverage on January 1.

What happens if you do nothing.

If you are enrolled now and do not act, HealthCare.gov usually renews you into the same plan or a similar one from the same insurer. Your tax credit is recalculated using the income on file, which may be out of date. With the enhanced credits gone, many households will see a higher net premium in 2027 than in 2025, so an automatic renewal is a real risk to your budget.

Renewing on purpose, with a fresh income estimate and a plan comparison, takes about 20 minutes with an advisor.

If you miss Open Enrollment.

After January 15, you can only enroll with a Special Enrollment Period, usually within 60 days of a qualifying life event such as losing other coverage, moving, getting married or having a baby. Medicaid and CHIP accept applications all year. Enrolled members of federally recognized tribes can enroll or switch plans once a month. See Special Enrollment Periods.

There is no federal tax penalty for being uninsured (it has been $0 since 2019), and neither Texas nor Oklahoma has a state penalty. The real cost of missing the window is going a year without coverage.

Questions people ask.

Sources.

1. HealthCare.gov, Dates and deadlines. healthcare.gov
2. CMS statement on plan year 2026 and 2027 requirements, July 27, 2026. cms.gov
3. IRS Rev. Proc. 2026-26, 2027 applicable percentage table. irs.gov
4. H.R. 1 (Public Law 119-21), sections 71304, 71305 and 71307. congress.gov
5. CMS, 2027 premium adjustment percentage and maximum out-of-pocket guidance. cms.gov
6. HealthCare.gov, No health insurance penalty. healthcare.gov

General information for Texas and Oklahoma residents, not tax or legal advice. Rules and numbers can change; this page is reviewed on the date shown above. Your eligibility and prices are set by HealthCare.gov or the insurer when you apply.