When Covered California Open Enrollment Ends, and 4 Other Dates Californians Need to Know This Winter

Covered California open enrollment starts this Sunday, Nov. 1, and the day you sign up could decide when your coverage kicks in.

Wait a little too long and you could face an extra month before coverage starts. The July rate increase was only a preliminary average, so your final price depends on your plan and region.

Here’s when sign-ups close, and the other winter dates you should have on your calendar.

Note: This is general information, not insurance or tax advice. Enrollment dates and financial help rules are subject to change, so confirm the current details with Covered California.

When Does Covered California Open Enrollment End?

Covered California gives you three months, from Nov. 1 through Jan. 31, to pick a 2027 plan.

During that stretch, you can enroll for the first time, switch plans or renew.

In many cases, open enrollment is the only time of year you can switch plans or get a new one.

Last winter’s window ended at midnight on Jan. 31, 2026.

If you miss the cutoff, you wait for the next open enrollment unless a major life change opens a special window.

Nov. 1, When Sign-Ups Open

Current Covered California members get a head start, since they can renew or switch plans beginning Oct. 1.

Open enrollment itself starts Sunday, Nov. 1, when all eligible Californians can apply for a health or dental plan through Covered California.

Across the state, 12 insurance carriers will offer plans in 2027, which gives every Californian at least two choices.

Options still differ by region, and one insurer won’t offer plans in northeast Los Angeles County or Orange County in 2027.

Its roughly 1,600 members there can pick a new plan or move to the carrier with the lowest-cost plan in the same coverage level.

A new insurer is entering the Orange County market in 2027.

If you live in either area, Shop and Compare on the exchange’s site shows what’s available and estimates your costs.

Dec. 31 Deadline for Jan. 1 Coverage

Thursday, Dec. 31 is Covered California’s cutoff for a plan that starts Jan. 1.

Pick a plan in November or December, and coverage begins on Jan. 1.

If you’ve seen Dec. 15 online, that’s the last day on HealthCare.gov to pick a 2027 plan that starts Jan. 1, and its open enrollment ends Jan. 15.

Covered California runs on its own dates, so Dec. 31 and Jan. 31 apply to its plans.

Your plan won’t start if you don’t pay your first bill, and any care you get before then won’t be covered.

You may be able to pay online right after you enroll, or you can wait for a bill from your insurer, which usually takes about two weeks.

Pay the insurer, not Covered California, by the due date on that bill.

Your insurer mails your ID card once it receives that payment, and you can use your plan before the card arrives.

What Changes Jan. 1

Covered California's final 2027 rates take effect on Friday, Jan. 1.

The 9.9 percent average increase announced in July was a preliminary figure, and your change depends on your plan and region.

The July tables showed proposed average changes from 8.0 percent in Marin, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties to 14.9 percent in Mono, Inyo and Imperial counties.

Even so, the exchange says 60 percent of enrollees will see no increase in their monthly premium, thanks to federal tax credits and the state subsidy program.

People with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level in 2027 will be eligible for state financial help.

That's $31,920 for one person and $66,000 for a family of four.

Nearly 200,000 Californians can choose from two Silver-tier plans with a $0 premium.

On the federal side, the enhanced premium tax credits ended on Dec. 31, 2025.

Under the federal changes, only certain immigrant groups, such as lawful permanent residents (green card holders), will be eligible for financial help starting Jan. 1, 2027.

Your financial help is based on the income you report on your application, so an inaccurate estimate can give you more help than you qualify for.

Beginning with the 2026 tax year, filed in 2027, people who get too much help may need to repay the full amount, with no cap based on income.

Court decisions could still change those effective dates, according to Covered California.

Feb. 1 Coverage for January Sign-Ups

For people who enroll in January, Covered California coverage starts Monday, Feb. 1.

Pick a plan on Jan. 2 or Jan. 31, and the start date stays the same.

If you wait until January, you give up a Jan. 1 start.

A coverage gap can matter at tax time.

After Jan. 31, Special Enrollment

After Jan. 31, special enrollment is the way back into Covered California.

Major life changes usually give you a 60-day window to enroll, starting on the date the event happened.

Examples include losing job-based coverage, marrying, welcoming a baby or moving to California.

Turning 26 and aging out of a parent's plan also opens a window, as does losing Medi-Cal.

Coverage typically begins on the first day of the following month.

If you're losing coverage, you can usually apply up to 60 days before it ends to avoid a gap.

Medi-Cal, the state's low- or no-cost program, has no deadline for enrollment.

One application covers both Medi-Cal and Covered California, and the exchange tells you which one you qualify for.

Members of federally recognized American Indian or Alaska Native tribes can enroll in Covered California at any time of year.

FAQ

Open enrollment runs from Nov. 1 through Jan. 31 each year, and when you enroll sets when your coverage starts.

What's the Covered California open enrollment 2026 deadline?

Open enrollment that opens Nov. 1, 2026, ends Jan. 31, 2027, and it covers 2027 plans.

When does Covered California open enrollment start?

It starts Sunday, Nov. 1.

Current members can renew or switch beginning Oct. 1.

What's the deadline for coverage that starts Jan. 1?

Enroll by Thursday, Dec. 31.

Plans you pick in November or December start Jan. 1, once you pay your first bill.

When does coverage start if I enroll in January?

Enroll in January, and coverage starts Feb. 1.

Can I enroll after Jan. 31?

Generally only with a major life change, which opens a special enrollment period that usually lasts 60 days.

Otherwise, you wait for the next open enrollment.