What to do if your Marketplace insurer leaves your area

Every year some insurers stop selling Marketplace plans in certain counties or whole states, and more are pulling back for 2027. If yours is one of them, here's what happens and what to do.

You'll get a notice

Your insurer has to tell you in writing that your plan is being discontinued, usually in the fall before open enrollment. Keep it, because it explains your options and dates.

If you do nothing

On HealthCare.gov, if you don't pick a new plan, you may be automatically enrolled in a similar plan from another insurer, if one is available. That keeps you covered, but the new plan might have a different network, different drug list and a different price. Don't rely on it.

What to do instead

1. Log in during open enrollment, which starts November 1. Choose a plan by December 15 so coverage starts January 1.
2. Check networks first. Look up your doctors, your preferred hospital and your prescriptions in each plan you're considering.
3. Update your income estimate. Your tax credit depends on it, and the benchmark plan in your area may have changed too.
4. Compare total costs, not just premiums: deductible, out-of-pocket maximum and copays for the care you actually use.

If it happens mid-year

Losing your plan because it's discontinued usually qualifies you for a Special Enrollment Period, so you can choose a new plan outside open enrollment. Act quickly, because these windows are time-limited.

Our county pages list which insurers left and which are new compared with last year, so you can see at a glance whether your area is affected.