New ACA Enrollment Rules Bring Higher Premiums, Identity Checks and Broker Limits

Open enrollment for ACA coverage in 2027 kicks off on Nov. 1, with Idaho, Connecticut and Massachusetts starting earlier and some states allowing price checks. Premiums are set to rise again, and subsidies will be less generous now that the enhanced payments ended in 2025, though most shoppers will still receive some assistance. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services introduced new fraud-prevention steps: consumers using brokers must receive a confirmation code to authorize enrollment changes, and high-risk applicants—first-timers, those changing states, or those with very low monthly premiums—must undergo identity verification via a CMS-approved third party.

In September, CMS also imposed a moratorium on brokers who were not registered in 2026, delaying their ability to help until after the enrollment window, which has sparked lawsuits from the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals and Health Agents for America. Additionally, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act limits subsidy eligibility for many lawfully present immigrants, leaving only green-card holders, certain Cuban and Haitian migrants, and citizens of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, or Palau eligible. Experts advise shoppers to book broker appointments early and compare plans online to avoid missing better-priced options.