NYC Health Insurance Open Enrollment Begins November 1 With Higher Costs and Fewer Subsidies

New York's state health insurance marketplace opened its annual enrollment window on November 1, allowing residents without employer-based coverage to shop for 2027 health plans. The enrollment period runs through January 31, 2027.

This year's enrollment arrives against a backdrop of significant federal changes. Congress allowed enhanced federal insurance subsidies to expire at the end of 2025, sharply reducing the share of New Yorkers receiving financial help. Only 43% of those enrolled in private marketplace plans now receive subsidies, down from a majority in 2025, and those who still qualify saw average monthly premiums rise by $104.

New York was also forced in July to cut income eligibility for the Essential Plan — a low-cost public insurance program — from $40,000 to $32,000 per year for an individual. About 60,000 affected New Yorkers enrolled in private plans through a special enrollment period this summer, but more than 150,000 others who lost Essential Plan coverage did not sign up for insurance through the marketplace, suggesting cost may have been a deterrent. New Yorkers can use the state marketplace's cost estimator to check how much financial assistance they may qualify for based on their income.

For 2027, average premiums on the marketplace will rise 6% — well below the 20% increase insurers had originally requested. Beyond the marketplace, employer-based plans are also expected to face sharper cost increases in 2027, partly driven by growing use of expensive GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. A Robert Wood Johnson Foundation report found that 27% of U.S. adults reported household medical debt as of December 2025, including 26% of adults who already had health insurance.