Your Insurance Detective › Connecticut › Open enrollment 2027
When Is Access Health CT Open Enrollment for 2027? Dates, the December 15 Deadline, and What Changed
Written and reviewed by Dick Tracy, licensed health insurance broker (NPN 20414610) · Published October 3, 2026
Quick answer Access Health CT open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs from October 23, 2026 through January 15, 2027, nine days earlier than the usual November 1 start. Enroll by December 15, 2026 and your plan starts January 1, 2027. After that you are looking at February 1, with January uncovered if you have no plan now. The Connecticut Insurance Department approved an average 11.3% increase for individual plans (insurers asked for 16.2%) and 15.1% for small group plans (asked: 17.8%). HUSKY Health and the Covered CT Program have no window at all if you qualify. Neither do the group plans I use for healthy self-employed people. I educate, you decide.
I'm Dick Tracy, a health insurance broker. I'm licensed in Connecticut, one of 25 states I hold a license in, and I work with 80+ carriers from my office in Buffalo, New York, by phone or Zoom. I came from the healthcare side of this business, so there's no gag clause on me. You get the tips, the tricks, and the traps. The trap on this page: the window stays open until January 15, but the date that counts is December 15. Enroll on December 16 and your plan starts February 1.
and runs through Jan. 15, 2027
for a Jan. 1, 2027 start
individual plans (asked: 16.2%)
Sources: Access Health CT, 2027 open enrollment dates announcement, July 15, 2026 (2027 window and the December 15 rule); Access Health CT help center, coverage effective dates (start dates); Connecticut Insurance Department, Health Insurance Rates for 2027 (requested and approved rates). Last verified October 3, 2026.
What are the Access Health CT open enrollment dates for 2027?
Every date comes from Access Health CT's own pages, read on October 3, 2026. None of these dates is a guess.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| October 23, 2026 | Open enrollment begins for 2027 coverage. Anyone can sign up or change plans. |
| December 15, 2026 | Last day to enroll and complete your application for coverage that starts January 1, 2027. |
| January 1, 2027 | New plan year begins. New deductible, new out-of-pocket maximum, new rates. |
| January 15, 2027 | Open enrollment ends. Last day to enroll for coverage that starts February 1. |
| February 1, 2027 | Coverage starts for anyone who enrolled between December 16, 2026 and January 15, 2027. |
Sources: Access Health CT, July 15, 2026 announcement ("the 2027 Open Enrollment Period will run from Oct. 23 through Jan. 15"; "If customers enroll on or before Dec. 15, 2026, coverage will start Jan. 1, 2027"); Access Health CT help center, coverage effective dates for qualified health plans ("you must enroll and complete your application by December 15, 2026").
Two things sit behind that table. First, the 15th. The help center wording is "enroll and complete your application," so a half-finished application on December 15 is not a January 1 start. Second, there is no moving it afterward. Access Health CT says your start date "is based on the date you enroll and cannot be changed." Decide early. Then enjoy December.
Why the earlier opening? In recent years the window ran November 1 through January 15. Access Health CT's announcement says new federal changes had required marketplaces to limit open enrollment to nine weeks and end by December 31, "but this is now subject to a lawsuit challenging the change." Since then a federal court struck that requirement down, in June 2026, and the government has appealed. Connecticut opened earlier and kept January 15.
How much are Connecticut health insurance rates going up in 2027?
Double digits on average, and less than the insurers wanted. On September 11, 2026 the Connecticut Insurance Department issued final rulings on five rate filings from four insurers, covering about 220,000 Connecticut residents in fully insured individual and small group plans, on and off the exchange. The individual average went from a requested 16.2% to an approved 11.3%. The small group average went from a requested 17.8% to an approved 15.1%.
Averages hide the story, though. Here is every filing:
| Insurer and market | Requested for 2027 | Approved for 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Anthem Health Plans, Inc., individual | 12.8% | 8.8% |
| ConnectiCare Benefits, Inc., individual | 22.7% | 16.0% |
| ConnectiCare Insurance Company, Inc., individual, off the exchange only for 2027 | Not applicable: all plans are new | Revised filing approved |
| All individual filings, average | 16.2% | 11.3% |
| Anthem Health Plans, Inc., small group | 17.4% | 15.5% |
| UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, small group, off the exchange | 18.9% | 14.0% |
| All small group filings, average | 17.8% | 15.1% |
Source: Connecticut Insurance Department, Health Insurance Rates for 2027 (final rulings issued September 11, 2026; requested and approved average for each filing). These are averages across each insurer's plans; your own plan's change is on your renewal notice.
Read that table like a detective. A smaller increase does not mean a cheaper plan, so compare the actual premium. If your increase is small, staying put may be right. If it is a big one, that letter is your cue to shop, not to sigh and pay it. One more line from the Insurance Department worth knowing: the approved individual rates reflect the enhanced federal subsidies expiring at the end of 2025. I explain the "why" behind these letters in Why did my health insurance go up?
What else changed for 2027 at Access Health CT?
| Change | What it means |
|---|---|
| The window opens earlier | October 23 instead of the usual November 1, same January 15 end. A federal rule would have forced the window to end by December 31. A federal court struck that part down in June 2026, and the government has appealed (Georgetown litigation tracker, City of Columbus v. Kennedy). |
| Enhanced federal credits are gone | The bigger premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025. Above 400% of the federal poverty level there is no federal credit: one dollar over and it is zero. That is the subsidy cliff. For 2026 coverage Access Health CT puts that line at $62,600 for one person and $128,600 for a family of four. For 2027 coverage I expect $63,840 and $132,000 (my arithmetic: 400% of the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines; Access Health CT had not posted 2027 figures when I wrote this). |
| State premium help: not confirmed for 2027 | Connecticut's 2026 Temporary Premium Assistance replaces the full expired enhanced credit for households between 100% and 200% of the poverty level who are not in the Covered CT Program, and half of it for households over 400% and up to 500%. The Insurance Department says the approved 2027 rates "assume the 2026 Connecticut premium assistance program... will most likely continue into 2027." As of October 3, 2026, I have not read an Access Health CT announcement that it will. |
| No cap on paying credits back | The IRS says there is no repayment cap for tax years after 2025. If your advance credit turns out bigger than the credit you were due, you repay the full difference at tax time. |
| Immigration status rules | Access Health CT says financial help ends for some lawfully present immigrants. Lawful permanent residents with a Green Card, Cuban and Haitian Entrants, and people in the U.S. under the Compact of Free Association can still get it. Others can still enroll in a plan at full price. |
| Early childhood educators | Starting for 2027, eligible early childhood educators can get a state subsidy of $1,000 to $1,200 a year, based on household income, toward coverage through Access Health CT. |
| Looking ahead to 2028 | Access Health CT says automatic re-enrollment ends starting in 2028. You will have to verify income, address, family size, and other household information to keep coverage and financial help. |
Sources: Access Health CT, federal changes to health coverage (window, expired credits, 2026 income lines, immigrant eligibility, 2028 re-enrollment); Access Health CT, financial help (Temporary Premium Assistance, early childhood educator subsidy); Connecticut Insurance Department, Health Insurance Rates for 2027 (the premium assistance assumption); HHS, 2026 poverty guidelines ($15,960 for one person, $33,000 for four); IRS, questions and answers on the premium tax credit, Q7 and Q31.
The cliff is the one to respect. Under the line, guess your income low and the IRS takes the difference back at tax time, with no cap. Over it, the federal credit is zero, and whether Connecticut's state help softens that for 2027 is not confirmed. Run the free 2026 subsidy cliff calculator and check the Access Health CT income limits before you fall in love with a monthly number. The calculator uses the 2026 line, $62,600 for one person. For 2027 coverage the expected line is $63,840.
Which Connecticut coverage has no open enrollment window?
More than most people think. The October to January window governs regular Access Health CT plans. It does not govern the programs below.
| Type of coverage | When you can start it |
|---|---|
| Access Health CT plan, full price or with a tax credit | October 23 to January 15, or generally within 60 days of a qualifying life event |
| Covered CT Program | Any time, if you are eligible. Household income up to and including 175% of the poverty level is one of the requirements. The state pays your share of the premium and your deductible, copays, and coinsurance. |
| HUSKY Health (Medicaid and CHIP) | Any time, if you are eligible. |
| American Indians and Alaska Natives | Any time of the year. |
| A pre-established ERISA group plan | Group plans are not tied to the individual open enrollment calendar |
Sources: Access Health CT, special enrollment ("If you qualify for HUSKY Health or the Covered CT program, you can enroll anytime you are eligible. If you are an American Indian or Alaska Native you can also enroll any time of year"); Access Health CT, financial help (Covered CT Program requirements and what the state pays).
What is the special enrollment period, and what counts?
Outside the window, a regular Access Health CT plan takes a qualifying life event: losing coverage through a job, marriage, a new baby, a move to Connecticut, and a handful of others. Access Health CT says the special enrollment period will "generally last 60 days from the date of the event," and that you have up to 30 days to send in proof before coverage can begin (Access Health CT help center, special enrollment periods). Coverage typically begins the first day of the month after you enroll.
One trap: losing a plan because you stopped paying is not a qualifying event. Access Health CT lists "exhaustion of COBRA coverage" as a qualifying event and adds that deciding to end COBRA does not qualify (Access Health CT, special enrollment). COBRA running out counts. Walking away from it does not. Decide on purpose, not by default.
What should I actually do before October 23?
Here is the part the marketplace's own materials will never tell you, because it is not their job. The October to January calendar governs individual plans, not group coverage. An individual plan in Connecticut is guaranteed issue: no health questions, and a healthy person pays the same as a sick person the same age. That protects sick people, and it is the right thing for them. It also leaves a healthy owner paying full price with one other door worth pricing first.
That door is the pre-established ERISA group plan. ERISA is a federal law from 1974 that governs employer benefit plans. Group plans already exist under it, and a solo owner can be merged into one. Group rates. A true PPO network of the PHCS and MultiPlan type instead of a regional network. A policy you own and keep. No payroll, no employees required, and one simple compliance step I walk you through. Here is the full breakdown.
The second door is Access Health CT. The third is the supplemental layer for the deductible: accident, critical illness, and gap coverage, added on top of a real plan and never instead of one. I will tell you which door fits, with the numbers next to each other.
Healthy, self-employed, income over the subsidy line
Price the pre-established ERISA group plan first, then the Access Health CT plans at full price against it. Your renewal letter's percentage is the tiebreaker. The Connecticut doors, in order, are here.
Income under the subsidy lines
A subsidized plan, the Covered CT Program, or HUSKY Health may be your best deal, and I will tell you so. The trade-offs: an income estimate you have to get right, and repayment at tax time with no cap if you guess low. Run the subsidy calculator, preset for Connecticut, then bring me the number.
Small business owner with a few employees
Small group is its own market in Connecticut, and its approved average for 2027 is 15.1%. Three routes: a traditional small group plan, the pre-established ERISA group plan, or no group plan at all. I customize the plan based on the situation. Often that's cost-effective, customized individual plans instead of a one-size-fits-all group plan.
Lost coverage in the middle of the year
The clock is generally 60 days from the day the coverage ends. Call me in week one, not week eight, and we price COBRA against every other door before the clock runs out.
A serious diagnosis in the last five years
Guaranteed-issue coverage, for now. Access Health CT plans take everyone with no health questions. Take that protection, do not miss December 15, and we revisit the other doors later.
Common questions about Access Health CT open enrollment 2027
When is Access Health CT open enrollment for 2027?
Access Health CT open enrollment for 2027 coverage begins October 23, 2026 and ends January 15, 2027, according to Access Health CT. In recent years it ran from November 1 through January 15, so this year it opens nine days earlier. Connecticut runs its own marketplace and opens October 23, earlier than the November 1 date you see in national news.
What is the Access Health CT deadline for coverage starting January 1, 2027?
December 15, 2026. Access Health CT says that for coverage starting January 1, 2027 you must enroll and complete your application by December 15, 2026. Enroll between December 16, 2026 and January 15, 2027 and coverage starts February 1, 2027, which leaves January uncovered if you have no plan now. Access Health CT also says the start date is based on the date you enroll and cannot be changed.
Why does Access Health CT open enrollment start earlier this year?
Access Health CT moved the start from the usual November 1 to October 23, 2026 and kept the January 15, 2027 end date. Its announcement says new federal changes had required marketplaces to limit open enrollment to nine weeks and end by December 31, but that requirement was challenged in court. A federal court struck it down in June 2026, and the government has appealed. The date that matters did not move: December 15 for a January 1 start.
How much are Connecticut health insurance rates going up in 2027?
On September 11, 2026 the Connecticut Insurance Department approved an average increase of 11.3% for individual plans, down from the 16.2% insurers requested, and 15.1% for small group plans, down from 17.8% requested. By filing, the approved individual averages are 8.8% for Anthem Health Plans and 16.0% for ConnectiCare Benefits, Inc. The approved small group averages are 15.5% for Anthem Health Plans and 14.0% for UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company. Your own plan's change is on your renewal notice.
Will the Connecticut state premium help continue in 2027?
I have not read an announcement that it will. The help is called 2026 Temporary Premium Assistance, and Access Health CT describes it for 2026 coverage: it replaces the full expired enhanced federal credit for households between 100% and 200% of the federal poverty level who are not in the Covered CT Program, and half of it for households over 400% and up to 500%. The Connecticut Insurance Department says the approved 2027 rates assume the program will most likely continue into 2027. That is an assumption, not a promise, so do not build your 2027 budget on it until Access Health CT posts it.
Can I enroll in HUSKY Health or the Covered CT Program outside open enrollment?
Yes. Access Health CT says that if you qualify for HUSKY Health, which is Connecticut's Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program, or for the Covered CT Program, you can enroll any time of year. American Indians and Alaska Natives can also enroll any time. Everyone else needs the October 23 to January 15 window or a qualifying life event.
What is a special enrollment period at Access Health CT?
A special enrollment period is a window outside open enrollment that opens after a qualifying life event, such as losing coverage through a job, getting married, having a baby, or moving to Connecticut. Access Health CT says it generally lasts 60 days from the date of the event, and you have up to 30 days to submit proof before coverage can begin. Losing coverage because you did not pay the premium does not count, and neither does choosing to end COBRA. COBRA running out does count.
Do I have to wait for open enrollment to get health insurance in Connecticut?
Only for a regular Access Health CT plan with no qualifying life event. HUSKY Health and the Covered CT Program enroll year-round if you qualify. Losing coverage mid-year generally opens a 60-day special enrollment period. Group coverage is not tied to the individual calendar, and that includes the pre-established ERISA group plans I use for healthy self-employed people over the subsidy line: group rates, a true PPO network, and a policy you own.
Thirty minutes on the phone or Zoom, no fee, no hard sell. Bring your renewal letter, a rough income number, your doctors, and how you use care. I put every Connecticut door that fits you side by side, including the ones with no enrollment window, before you lock anything in for 2027. I educate, you decide.
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Who you'll be talking to: me, Richard "Dick" Tracy. Real name, real job.
Health insurance broker · NPN 20414610 · Licensed in 25 states · 80+ carriers · Buffalo, NY
No call center, and no lead form that sells your name to ten agencies. The person who answers 716-503-1113 is the same person in this photo. I educate, you decide.
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