Key takeaways:
HealthCare.gov is the national platform for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance information. It is also the enrollment platform for people in 30 states for the 2026 coverage year.
Twenty states and Washington, D.C., have their own marketplaces for ACA enrollment for the 2026 coverage year.
Some states with their own marketplaces offer extended enrollment deadlines.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) — short for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act — is the 2010 national health-reform law. ACA marketplace health plans covered more than 24 million people in 2025. Applicants seeking health coverage shop for and enroll in plans that appear on national or state marketplaces.
People in 31 states used HealthCare.gov, the national health insurance marketplace, in the 2025 coverage year. That drops to 30 for the 2026 coverage year because Illinois becomes the 20th state with its own marketplace for residents to buy health insurance.
Let’s walk through the differences between these exchanges and how to enroll in an ACA plan.
What are the primary functions of state marketplaces?
State marketplace platforms provide health insurance options for their residents. By offering their own marketplaces, states and Washington, D.C., have more control in managing consumer outreach and more oversight of participating plans. These entities are also in charge of applicant eligibility and enrollment. State marketplaces may also have paid advertisements from health insurers on their websites.
Generally, the 2026 coverage year open enrollment period runs from November 1, 2025, to January 15, 2026. This is the first enrollment period that people in Illinois will use its state marketplace.
Which states have their own marketplaces?
If you live in one of the following 20 states or Washington, D.C., you will enroll through a state-run marketplace platform.
State-run marketplace platforms for the 2026 coverage year
Jurisdiction | Marketplace platform |
|---|---|
California | |
Colorado | |
Connecticut | |
Georgia | |
Idaho | |
Illinois | |
Kentucky | |
Maine | |
Maryland | |
Massachusetts | |
Minnesota | |
Nevada | |
New Jersey | |
New Mexico | |
New York | |
Pennsylvania | |
Rhode Island | |
Vermont | |
Virginia | |
Washington state | |
Washington, D.C. |
*These platforms have open enrollment periods that differ from the national window.
Which states use the national marketplace?
People in 30 states use the national HealthCare.gov platform to choose an ACA plan and enroll. (Arkansas and Oregon have state-based marketplaces for consumer marketing, enrollment assistance, and oversight of health insurance plans. But they use the federal platform for eligibility and enrollment.)
People in these U.S. territories can enroll in the ACA only if they qualify as residents of Washington, D.C., or one of the 50 states:
American Samoa
Guam
Northern Mariana Islands
Puerto Rico
U.S. Virgin Islands
Who is eligible for an Affordable Care Act (ACA) health plan? U.S. citizens or noncitizens who are lawfully in the country, are not incarcerated, and don’t have Medicare are eligible for ACA health insurance coverage.
All ACA plans cover essential health benefits. Every ACA health plan must cover 10 essential health benefits, including preventive care, emergency services, prescription medications, and mental health services.
ACA plans are organized into four metal tiers. The bronze, silver, gold, and platinum tiers help you compare plans that have similar cost sharing, such as premiums and what percentage of the bill you pay when you receive care.
How do state marketplaces differ from the national marketplace?
State marketplaces have their own websites and platform names that differ from HealthCare.gov. For instance, Pennsylvania’s ACA website is Pennie, while New Mexico uses the name BeWell for its marketplace. These state marketplaces also have dedicated phone numbers for their residents to ask questions and seek enrollment assistance.
States that run their own marketplaces may have open enrollment deadlines that differ from HealthCare.gov. The enrollment deadline for the 2026 coverage year depends on where you live. But in most states, open enrollment for the 2026 coverage year is November 1, 2025, to January 15, 2026.
Some states have extended open enrollment deadlines for the 2026 coverage year. They are:
California: January 31, 2026
Massachusetts: January 23, 2026
New Jersey: January 31, 2026
New York: January 31, 2026
Rhode Island: January 31, 2026
Washington, D.C.: January 31, 2026
One state has a different open enrollment window for the 2026 coverage year:
If you miss your open enrollment deadline, you may have to wait until the next annual open enrollment period — at the end of 2026, for 2027 health insurance coverage.
If you have a qualifying life event (for example, you get married, have a baby, or lose healthcare coverage) after your deadline to enroll for 2026 coverage, you may be able to access ACA health insurance during a special enrollment period.
How do I enroll in an ACA plan?
ACA enrollment through the national marketplace requires you to complete an application with information about the people in your household and your household income. You will need to choose a plan and may need to pay a premium for coverage to begin.
How to sign up for coverage
There are several ways to sign up:
Enroll online through HealthCare.gov.
Use the Find Local Help tool to locate in-person assistance with an ACA navigator in your area. The locator can also help you find an agent or a broker near you. All are trained to walk you through the marketplace enrollment process, and services are free.
Apply through the website of a certified enrollment partner, such as a private health insurance company.
Enroll by phone by contacting the Marketplace Call Center at 800-318-2596. This line is available 24-7, excluding holidays. The service is available in several languages.
Complete and mail an application.
Frequently asked questions
For the 2026 coverage year, you may have fewer plan options than in previous years. And premiums nationwide are also expected to be significantly higher in 2026 — especially if enhanced ACA premium subsidies, set to end on December 31, 2025, are not renewed by Congress.
Premium subsidies are tax credits that don’t have to be repaid, but you are responsible for your portion of premiums. You can also have a higher tax bill if you underestimate your income for the coming coverage year or don’t report income changes throughout the year.
Yes, your income determines what you’re charged for your ACA health insurance and whether you qualify for discounts such as premium tax credits.
For the 2026 coverage year, you may have fewer plan options than in previous years. And premiums nationwide are also expected to be significantly higher in 2026 — especially if enhanced ACA premium subsidies, set to end on December 31, 2025, are not renewed by Congress.
Premium subsidies are tax credits that don’t have to be repaid, but you are responsible for your portion of premiums. You can also have a higher tax bill if you underestimate your income for the coming coverage year or don’t report income changes throughout the year.
Yes, your income determines what you’re charged for your ACA health insurance and whether you qualify for discounts such as premium tax credits.
The bottom line
The national Affordable Care Act platform, HealthCare.gov, is the enrollment site for people in 30 states for the 2026 coverage year. Twenty states and Washington, D.C., have their own ACA marketplace platforms, and Illinois is new to the list for 2026. State-based marketplaces offer more flexibility for states to oversee consumer outreach and may have open enrollment deadlines that differ from the national platform.
Why trust our experts?
References
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2025). Over 24 million consumers selected affordable health coverage in ACA marketplace for 2025.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2025). States by marketplace type (FFM/SBM-FP/SBM) for plan year 2026.
HealthCare.gov. (n.d.). Health insurance marketplace. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
HealthCare.gov. (n.d.). How to apply & enroll. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
HealthCare.gov. (n.d.). Open enrollment period. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
HealthCare.gov. (n.d.). Premium. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
HealthCare.gov. (n.d.). Special enrollment period (SEP). Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
KFF. (n.d.). State health insurance marketplace types: 2025.
Your Health Idaho. (n.d.). How to enroll.
