If you need your own health insurance, Fort Lauderdale and the rest of Broward County shop on the federal Marketplace at HealthCare.gov. Households earning 100% to 400% of the poverty level can get a premium tax credit for 2027. Open Enrollment runs Nov 1, 2026 – Jan 15, 2027; enroll by Dec 15 for Jan 1 coverage.
Updated for the 2027 plan year (October 2026). Reviewed by Adam Segall, Licensed Insurance Agent (FL Lic #P101968).
- Health insurance Fort Lauderdale: who shops the Marketplace
- How to enroll for 2027, step by step
- Broward’s hospital systems and your network
- What 2027 coverage costs you
- Enrollment help in Broward is mostly virtual
- Low income, KidCare and community clinics
- Life changes, storms and mid-year enrollment
- Frequently asked questions
Health insurance Fort Lauderdale: who shops the Marketplace
Fort Lauderdale is the county seat of Broward County, a place built on tourism, hospitality, boating and small business. The Florida Department of Health in Broward County serves about 1.9 million residents and more than 14 million visitors a year. A large share of the people who keep that economy running, from restaurant staff to charter captains to freelancers, do not get coverage through an employer.
If that is you, the ACA Marketplace is where you buy coverage. Florida has no state exchange, so you shop at HealthCare.gov or through a licensed agent or assistant connected to it, and the price of a given plan is the same either way. Every plan covers essential benefits and cannot reject you for a pre-existing condition.
Self-employed? Estimate your 2027 net self-employment income, not gross receipts. Your premium tax credit is based on household income, and seasonal swings are normal. Update your application if your income changes during the year.
How to enroll in Fort Lauderdale health insurance for 2027
- Write down your household and 2027 income estimate. Include everyone you file taxes with.
- List your must-have doctors, hospital and prescriptions. In Broward, this step decides more than the premium does.
- Apply once. One application checks you for the premium tax credit, cost-sharing reductions, Florida Medicaid and Florida KidCare.
- Compare plans in your ZIP code. Weigh premium, deductible, out-of-pocket maximum and network together.
- Enroll by December 15, 2026 for coverage starting January 1, 2027, then pay your first premium. Enrollments from December 16 through January 15 start February 1.
Miss January 15 and you will usually need a qualifying life event. Our Open Enrollment 2027 guide has the full calendar, and our Florida health insurance guide covers statewide rules.
Broward’s hospital systems and your plan network
Broward County is unusual: it has two public hospital districts, one for the north and one for the south. Marketplace plans may include one, both or neither, so a cheap plan can quietly leave out the hospital closest to your home. Check the hospital first when you compare health insurance. Fort Lauderdale plans differ widely here.
| Hospital system | What it is | Why it matters for your plan |
|---|---|---|
| Broward Health | Public system of the North Broward Hospital District; its Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale is a Level I trauma center | Closest major hospital for many Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods |
| Memorial Healthcare System | South Broward Hospital District, an independent special tax district based in Hollywood | Includes Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital; important if you live or work in south Broward |
| Holy Cross Health | Nonprofit Catholic hospital in Fort Lauderdale, part of Trinity Health | Check it separately; its network status can differ from the public systems |
Sources: Broward Health trauma care, Memorial special district information, Holy Cross Health.
We do not rank insurers. Carriers and networks vary by county and 2027 plan lists are not final yet, so compare every option for your ZIP code on HealthCare.gov or with Honesty, and search each plan’s directory for your doctors by name. Our guide on how to choose a health plan explains HMO, EPO and PPO networks.
Honesty.AI checks every Broward plan’s network against your doctors and applies your subsidy.
What 2027 health insurance in Fort Lauderdale costs you
There is no single price for health insurance. Fort Lauderdale shoppers pay based on age, ZIP code, household size, tobacco use and 2027 income. What is fixed is the share of income you are expected to pay for the benchmark Silver plan, set by the IRS for 2027; the premium tax credit covers the rest.
- 100%–133% of poverty level: 2.15% of income
- 150%–200%: 4.30% to 6.78%
- 200%–300%: 6.78% to 10.22%
- 300%–400%: 10.22%
- Over 400%: no credit for 2027 (above $63,840 for one person or $132,000 for a family of four)
Prices are still climbing. The enhanced credits expired at the end of 2025, and insurers proposed a median increase of about 15% nationally for 2027, according to KFF. Shop instead of auto-renewing. If your income is under 250% of the poverty level, start with Silver, the only tier with cost-sharing reductions. The 2027 out-of-pocket cap is $12,000 for one person and $24,000 for a family. More in our 2027 subsidies guide.
Enrollment help in Broward is mostly virtual this year
This is a real difference from Miami-Dade. For 2026–2027, the CMS Navigator awardee summary lists Broward among Florida’s 59 virtual-only counties for the statewide Navigator program run by the University of South Florida. In-person Navigator help is listed for eight counties, including neighboring Miami-Dade and Palm Beach, but not Broward.
You can still get free, neutral help by phone or video, or drive to an in-person site in a neighboring county. Search your ZIP code at localhelp.healthcare.gov for Navigators, certified application counselors and licensed agents. Honesty.AI is another option: it compares plans and enrolls you by chat, voice or text, any hour.
Low income, KidCare and community clinics in Fort Lauderdale
Florida did not expand Medicaid. Most adults without children or a disability cannot get Florida Medicaid at any income, and adults below 100% of the poverty level with no other eligibility fall into the coverage gap. At or above 100%, a subsidized Marketplace plan is usually available, so estimate income carefully. Medicaid applications go through ACCESS Florida.
Children have more options. Florida KidCare covers kids under 19 in families up to about 300% of the poverty level, and the Marketplace application screens them automatically.
For uninsured care, Broward has community health centers with sliding-fee scales, including Broward Community & Family Health Centers and Care Resource. Confirm current sites and services with HRSA’s Find a Health Center tool. Clinic care is not insurance, so it does not protect you from a hospital bill.
Life changes, storms and mid-year enrollment
Outside Open Enrollment, you can enroll within about 60 days of a qualifying life event: losing job-based coverage, moving to Broward from another county, marriage, a birth or adoption. See our Special Enrollment Period guide for the full list.
Hurricanes can matter too. After past Florida storms, CMS gave residents of FEMA-declared counties who missed an enrollment window a disaster Special Enrollment Period of up to 60 days after the incident period (CMS Florida disaster resources). Keep photos of your insurance cards and plan ID on your phone during storm season.
One more 2027 change for Broward’s immigrant families: starting January 1, 2027, Marketplace savings are limited to green card holders, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and Compact of Free Association migrants, per HealthCare.gov. Other lawfully present immigrants, such as TPS holders, can buy a plan but without the credit.
Choosing health insurance: Fort Lauderdale help from Honesty
Honesty.AI is a licensed, unbiased, agnostic AI insurance agent that is on your side. It compares every plan in your Broward ZIP code, applies your subsidy, checks your doctors and hospital against each network, and lays out ACA, alternative and ancillary plans side by side.
There is no office to visit. Honesty® Insurance Services, LLC is licensed statewide in Florida (FL #L125256) and helps you 24/7 by chat, voice or text. Learn how Honesty.AI works.
Find your 2027 Fort Lauderdale plan the honest way
Compare every Marketplace plan in Broward, check your hospital, apply your subsidy and enroll in minutes. Honesty Is Your Best Policy®.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get health insurance in Fort Lauderdale if I’m self-employed?
Buy an individual or family plan on the federal Marketplace at HealthCare.gov, directly or with a licensed helper. Base your application on estimated 2027 net self-employment income. Households between 100% and 400% of the poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Is there in-person Navigator help in Broward County for 2027?
CMS lists Broward as a virtual-only county for the 2026–2027 Navigator program run by the University of South Florida. You can get free help by phone or video, or find other local helpers by ZIP code at localhelp.healthcare.gov.
Do Fort Lauderdale Marketplace plans include Broward Health and Memorial?
It depends on the plan. Broward has two public hospital systems, Broward Health in the north and Memorial Healthcare System in the south, and networks vary by plan and year. Check each plan’s provider directory for your hospital and doctors before you enroll.
What is the 2027 enrollment deadline in Fort Lauderdale?
Open Enrollment runs November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027. Enroll by December 15, 2026 for coverage starting January 1, 2027. Enrollments from December 16 through January 15 start February 1.
Can I get Florida Medicaid in Broward if I have no children?
Usually not. Florida did not expand Medicaid, so most adults without children or a disability do not qualify at any income. If your income is at or above 100% of the poverty level, you can usually get a subsidized Marketplace plan instead.
Keep learning: see nearby guides for Miami, Coral Springs and Boca Raton, browse every city in our affordable health insurance in Florida hub, read about affordable health insurance, or learn how the health insurance Marketplace works.
