Money · coverage · Record current through 16 September 2026, 2:00 PM PT
What changes for health coverage in 2027
Three things change at once: what a marketplace plan costs, what help is available to pay for it, and what paperwork keeps Medicaid coverage in place.
Covered California premiums
Rates for 2027 are reported up 9.9% on average, with the state subsidy programme expanded to $300 million. An average is not your rate: yours depends on your plan, your region, your age and your household income.
What to do during open enrolment
- Re-shop, even if you like your plan. Benchmark plans shift between years, and the subsidy is calculated against the benchmark — so an identical plan can cost you more while a similar one costs less.
- Update your income estimate. Subsidies are reconciled at tax time; an out-of-date estimate is the most common cause of an unwelcome bill.
- Check that your own physician and your pharmacy are in the network for the specific plan you pick, not the carrier generally.
- Check the drug formulary for every medicine you take regularly.
Medicaid: the 2027 requirement
States must begin applying community engagement requirements to specified Medicaid populations no later than 1 January 2027. Exemptions and verification are set by each state.
What is not known
- The final 2027 rate for any individual plan and region.
- How each state will verify Medicaid compliance.
- Whether the community engagement rule will be changed or challenged before January.
Record current through 16 September 2026, 2:00 PM PT · general information, not legal or medical advice · this revision pending review by Kanwar Partap Singh Gill, MD.