How to Shop for Health Insurance: A 10-Step Guide for 2027 Open Enrollment

Updated October 2026 for the 2027 plan year

How to shop for health insurance in 10 steps

Learning how to shop for health insurance comes down to ten steps, done in order. Each step narrows the field to plans you can buy, afford and use.

Already know where you will buy and only need to pick a metal tier or network? Go to how to choose a health plan.

Step 1: Mark your enrollment dates

Put November 1, December 15 and January 15 on your calendar. Enrolling by December 15, 2026 on HealthCare.gov gets you coverage on January 1, 2027.

Step 2: Gather your household details

Write down the ZIP code and county, the date of birth and tobacco status of everyone who needs coverage, and who will be on your 2027 tax return. For Marketplace savings, your household is usually you, a spouse and your tax dependents (HealthCare.gov household rules).

Step 3: Estimate your 2027 income

Estimate your household income for 2027, not last year. Start from pay stubs, 1099s and last year’s return, then adjust. Your premium tax credit is based on this estimate and is reconciled on IRS Form 8962 when you file.

Step 4: Check Medicaid, CHIP and subsidy eligibility

Compare your income with the federal poverty level (FPL). In states that expanded Medicaid, most adults up to 138% FPL can qualify. Children often qualify for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) at higher incomes. Between 100% and 400% FPL, you may get a premium tax credit.

Step 5: Check any job-based coverage offer

If anyone in your household is offered a job-based plan, find out what the employee pays. For 2027, coverage counts as affordable if the employee’s share for the lowest-cost self-only plan is no more than 10.22% of household income. An affordable offer usually rules out a tax credit for that person.

Step 6: Choose where to shop

Pick a channel: HealthCare.gov or your state exchange, a licensed agent or broker, or an insurer directly. Only plans bought through the Marketplace come with premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions.

Step 7: Compare total yearly cost

For each plan, add twelve months of premium after your tax credit to the deductible, copays and coinsurance you expect to use. Note the out-of-pocket maximum as your worst case. The lowest premium is not always the lowest yearly cost.

Step 8: Check your doctors, hospitals and drugs

Search each plan’s provider directory for your doctors and hospital, then call the office to confirm. Look up every prescription on the plan’s drug list and note its tier. Our in-network vs. out-of-network guide explains what happens if a provider isn’t covered.

Step 9: Read the Summary of Benefits and Coverage

Open the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) for your top two or three plans. It is a standard, easy-to-read form that lets you compare costs and coverage line by line, including coverage examples that show what you might pay in common situations (HealthCare.gov).

Step 10: Enroll and pay your first premium

Choose your plan, finish the application and pay your first premium directly to the insurer. Coverage does not start until that payment is made. Report income or household changes during the year.

When can you shop for health insurance for 2027?

You can shop for health insurance any time, but you can only enroll in an ACA plan during Open Enrollment or a Special Enrollment Period. For 2027 coverage, HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027.

State exchanges can set later deadlines. Treat December 15 as your real deadline if you want coverage on January 1. Full dates are in our Open Enrollment 2027 guide.

Losing other coverage, moving, getting married or having a baby can open a Special Enrollment Period, usually for 60 days. Medicaid and CHIP accept applications any time of year. Young adults leaving a parent’s plan at 26 should read health insurance for young adults, and people leaving a job before Medicare should read health insurance for early retirees.

Where should you shop for health insurance?

Knowing how to shop for health insurance starts with knowing where. Shop where you can see every plan you qualify for with your subsidy applied. For most people that means HealthCare.gov, a state exchange, or a licensed agent or broker who enrolls through the Marketplace. Each channel sells the same Marketplace plans at the same filed prices.

HealthCare.gov says agents and brokers must be licensed in their state, and in many states they must act in your best interest (HealthCare.gov). Assisters, such as Navigators, must give fair, impartial and accurate information. Our health insurance broker guide explains how to check a license and what to ask.

Plans bought outside the Marketplace keep the core ACA protections, but you can’t get premium tax credits on them. If your employer offers an Individual Coverage HRA, you still shop the individual market; see ICHRA explained. For a full map of on- and off-exchange options, read individual health insurance.

How do you compare plans while you shop?

Compare plans on total yearly cost, network and drug coverage. A plan that looks cheap each month can cost more by December if you use care.

Use the same five numbers for every plan

1. Monthly premium after your tax credit, times 12.
2. Deductible you pay before the plan shares most costs. See what a deductible is.
3. Copays and coinsurance for the visits, drugs and tests you expect.
4. Out-of-pocket maximum, your worst-case year for in-network care. Our deductible vs. out-of-pocket maximum guide shows how they fit together.
5. Network type: HMO, PPO, EPO or POS. Compare them in HMO vs. PPO vs. EPO vs. POS.

Match the metal tier to how much care you use

On average, Bronze plans pay about 60% of covered costs, Silver about 70%, Gold about 80% and Platinum about 90% (HealthCare.gov). Low users often do well with Bronze. Regular users often save with Gold. If your income is at or below 250% FPL, a Silver plan with cost-sharing reductions lowers your deductible and copays, and only Silver plans include them.

For a worksheet and three household examples, see how to compare health insurance plans. For tier details, see Bronze vs. Silver vs. Gold vs. Platinum, and to judge the insurer itself, read how to pick the best health insurance companies.

Are free quote sites safe to use when you shop for health insurance?

Many free quote sites are lead-generation businesses, not insurers or agencies. They collect your phone number and details, then pass that lead to several agents or call centers, which is why one form can trigger a wave of calls and texts.

Before you type a phone number into any form, read the consent text under the button. You can preview plans and estimated prices on HealthCare.gov’s See plans & prices tool without creating an account.

If someone calls offering a plan, ask for their name, agency and National Producer Number, then check the license with your state insurance department through the NAIC directory. Ask whether any plan offered is ACA-compliant, and read our short-term health insurance guide before you buy one.

Should you shop again if you already have a plan?

Yes. If you have Marketplace coverage, you will usually be re-enrolled automatically, but HealthCare.gov warns that plan costs can change even if you are re-enrolled (HealthCare.gov). Updating your income and comparing again takes minutes.

Three reasons to compare every fall:

• Premiums are rising again. Insurers proposed a median 15% increase for 2027, after about 20% for 2026.
• The subsidy rules changed. The enhanced premium tax credits expired on December 31, 2025. For 2027 you pay between 2.15% and 10.22% of income for the benchmark Silver plan, and above 400% FPL there is no credit. Our 2027 subsidy guide has the full table.
• Networks and drug lists change from year to year.

See why premiums went up for 2027.

What mistakes should you avoid when shopping for health insurance?

Anyone learning how to shop for health insurance makes the same few mistakes. The most expensive are picking on premium alone, guessing income carelessly, skipping the doctor and drug check, and buying a plan you don’t realize isn’t ACA coverage.

The repayment rule matters more than it used to. Starting with tax year 2026, the old caps on paying back excess advance premium tax credits no longer apply (IRS). If you are focused on keeping your total costs down, read the cheapest health insurance options and our broader guide to affordable health insurance.

How does Honesty help you shop for health insurance?

Honesty®, a licensed AI insurance agent from Honesty® Insurance Services, LLC (NPN 21094885), shows you how to shop for health insurance in one conversation, step by step. It checks your savings first, then compares ACA, alternative and ancillary plans by your family’s needs.

• Unbiased among carriers. It never steers you to one company, and Marketplace plans cost the same whether you enroll yourself or with an agent.
• Subsidy, Medicaid, doctor and drug checks first, so the prices you see are close to what you will pay.
• Privacy as a feature. We never sell or share your data, and there are no spam calls.
• Enrolls in minutes, 24/7 by chat, voice or text. Licensed in 49 states and DC. Not affiliated with HealthCare.gov or CMS.

See how Honesty.AI works and why unbiased advice matters, or start with health insurance quotes.

Frequently asked questions

Keep learning: how health insurance works, the health insurance marketplace, Medicaid eligibility, family health insurance and health insurance for the self-employed.