Your Insurance Detective › Georgia › Open enrollment 2027
When Is Georgia Access 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 Georgia Access open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs from November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027. 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. Prices are going up about 20% on average before any tax credit, two insurers are leaving, and the state says it cannot offer a preview of plans before November 1. Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids have no window at all. 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 Georgia, 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: January 15 is when the window closes, but December 15 is the date that keeps you covered on January 1.
for 2027 coverage
for a Jan. 1, 2027 start
(coverage starts Feb. 1)
Source: Georgia Access, Renew or Update Coverage, important dates. Last verified October 3, 2026.
When is open enrollment in Georgia for 2027?
The enrollment dates in this table are posted by Georgia Access, the state's own marketplace, which is run by the Office of Commissioner of Insurance. I read it on October 3, 2026. None of these dates is a guess.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Before November 1, 2026 | Georgia Access automatically re-enrolls current members in their existing plan and sends a notice. If your 2026 insurance company is not offering plans in your area for 2027, you will need to select a new plan. |
| November 1, 2026 | Open enrollment begins. You can shop and enroll in coverage for 2027. |
| December 15, 2026 | Last day to enroll in a plan for coverage starting 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 in coverage that begins February 1, 2027. |
Source: Georgia Access, Renew or Update Coverage ("November 1, 2026 Open enrollment begins"; "December 15, 2026 This is the last day to enroll into a plan for coverage starting January 1, 2027"; "January 15, 2027 Open enrollment ends").
Two things sit behind that table. First, the gap. Miss December 15 and the next start Georgia Access lists is February 1. If your old plan ends December 31, that is a month with nothing. Second, the calendar itself. A federal rule was set to shorten open enrollment for every marketplace, and the Massachusetts exchange says recent court actions changed that (the Massachusetts exchange describes it on its updates page). Georgia Access lists January 15, 2027 today. If Georgia Access changes its posted dates, this page changes with it. December 15 is the date to plan around either way.
How much are Georgia health insurance rates going up in 2027?
About 20% on average before any tax credit. Here is where I have to be straight with you about the sources. As of October 3, 2026 I did not find a table of final 2027 rates on the Office of Commissioner of Insurance site. What exists is two things. One is the list of proposed increases in state data obtained by the Georgia Recorder as of late August. The other is a tally of the approved filings by ACA Signups, which reads them in the SERFF rate filing database and puts the final weighted average at 20.7% for people paying full price.
| Insurer on Georgia Access | Proposed increase, 2026 to 2027 (as of late August 2026) |
|---|---|
| Alliant | 29% |
| Ambetter | 10% |
| AMGP | 25% |
| Antidote | New to the market in 2027 |
| BCBS/Anthem | 21% |
| CareSource | 21% |
| Cigna | Leaving the market in 2027 |
| Kaiser | 20% |
| Oscar | 28% |
| UnitedHealthcare | Leaving the market in 2027 |
Sources: Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance data as published by The Current / Georgia Recorder, August 31, 2026 (proposed, not final; the office's spokesman said the numbers might still change and that prices are finalized before November 1); ACA Signups, 2027 Rate Changes, Georgia, updated September 25, 2026 (approved filings, 20.7% weighted average; it notes that some insurers' final numbers moved a lot from the first filings). Insurer names are listed alphabetically as the state listed them. This is not a recommendation of any of them.
Read that table like a detective. It is the proposed list. Final approved numbers are in, and the tracker says some changed a lot from this list, but the state has not posted them in a table I can cite. The number that counts is the one on your own renewal notice. 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. The state says about 900,000 Georgians were on Georgia Access as of late August, so you will have company. I explain the "why" behind these letters in Why did my health insurance go up?
What else changed for 2027 on Georgia Access?
| Change | What it means |
|---|---|
| Two insurers out, one in | Cigna and UnitedHealthcare are leaving the Georgia Access market for 2027, and Antidote is new. If your 2026 insurance company is not offering plans in your area for 2027, Georgia Access says you will need to select a new plan. |
| No preview before November 1 | Last year you could browse plans and prices ahead of open enrollment. This year the state is not offering that window-shopping period. The insurance commissioner's press secretary told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "due to some changes, we are unable to put forward a window-shopping period before open enrollment." |
| Enhanced federal credits are gone | From 2021 through 2025 Congress let people over 400% of the federal poverty level claim a premium tax credit. That ended. Over 400% there is no federal credit: one dollar over and it is zero. That is the subsidy cliff. For 2027 coverage the line is $63,840 for one person and $132,000 for a family of four (expected: my arithmetic, 400% of the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines; I did not find a 2027 income chart on Georgia Access on October 3, 2026). |
| No cap on paying credits back | The IRS says there is no repayment cap for tax years after 2025. Take more advance credit than your final income allows and you repay the full difference at tax time. |
| Georgia Pathways to Coverage | Eligibility requirements change January 1, 2027 because of federal law (H.R. 1). The 80 hours a month stays, the activities are renamed "community engagement," and earning at least $580 a month is one way to meet it. The state says current Pathways members are not affected until their renewal in 2027. |
Sources: The Current / Georgia Recorder, August 31, 2026 (insurer list from the Office of Commissioner of Insurance); Georgia Access, Renew or Update Coverage; Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 2, 2026 (no window-shopping period); IRS, questions and answers on the premium tax credit (income limits, Q7; no repayment cap after 2025, Q31); HHS, 2026 poverty guidelines ($15,960 for one person, $33,000 for four); Georgia Pathways to Coverage, H.R. 1 changes.
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, you pay sticker. Run the free 2026 subsidy cliff calculator and check the Georgia Access 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.
What if my income is under the poverty line in Georgia?
This is the part of Georgia's system that surprises people. Georgia Access says that to get a premium tax credit you need estimated household income above 100% of the federal poverty level. In most states an adult under that line goes to Medicaid. Georgia is one of the ten states that have not adopted the Medicaid expansion.
So an adult under the line who does not qualify for Pathways or traditional Medicaid gets no tax credit and pays full price. That is the coverage gap. If your income sits near that line, the estimate you put on the application decides which side you land on. Get it right, and bring me the number before you file anything.
Which Georgia coverage has no open enrollment window?
More than most people think. The November to January window governs regular Georgia Access plans. It does not govern the programs below.
| Type of coverage | When you can start it |
|---|---|
| Georgia Access plan, full price or with a tax credit | November 1 to January 15, or during a special enrollment period after a qualifying life event (60 or 90 days, depending on the event) |
| Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids | Apply any time of year. |
| Georgia Pathways to Coverage | It is a Medicaid program, with applications through Georgia Gateway. If you are approved, coverage starts the first day of the month you applied. |
| A pre-established ERISA group plan | Group plans are not tied to the individual open enrollment calendar |
Sources: Georgia Access, special enrollment periods; HealthCare.gov, dates and deadlines ("You can apply for free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) at any time"); Georgia Pathways to Coverage, About Pathways.
What is a special enrollment period on Georgia Access, and what counts?
Outside the window, a regular Georgia Access plan takes a qualifying life event. Georgia Access lists them: losing other coverage, marriage, a birth or adoption, a move, and a handful of others. Depending on the event you get 60 or 90 days (Georgia Access, special enrollment periods). Losing Medicaid or PeachCare for Kids gets 90. Loss of coverage counts if it happened in the past 60 days or you expect it in the next 60, so you can line up the new plan before the old one ends.
The details matter. Get married, pick a plan by the last day of the month, and coverage can start the first of the next month. Have a baby and coverage can start the day of the birth, even if you enroll up to 60 days later. Divorce without losing coverage does not qualify. Running out of COBRA counts as losing coverage. And you will be asked to prove it: Georgia Access says you report the event and supply supporting documents with the application. Decide on purpose, not by default.
What should I actually do before November 1?
Here is the part the marketplace's own materials will never tell you, because it is not their job. The November to January calendar governs individual plans, not group coverage. Marketplace plans cannot reject you or charge you more for a health condition (HealthCare.gov, pre-existing conditions). That protects sick people, and it is the right thing for them. It also leaves a healthy owner over the subsidy line 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 Georgia Access. The third is the supplemental layer for the deductible: accident, critical illness, and gap coverage, as add-ons on top of a real plan and never instead of one. And sometimes the honest answer is a Georgia Access plan. I will tell you which, with the numbers next to each other. With no preview period this year, the time to line up your numbers is now, not November 1.
Healthy, self-employed, income over the subsidy line
Price the pre-established ERISA group plan first, then the Georgia Access plans at full price against it. Your renewal notice's percentage is the tiebreaker. The Georgia doors, in order, are here.
Income under the subsidy lines
A subsidized plan, Medicaid, PeachCare for Kids, or Pathways 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 Georgia, then bring me the number.
Your insurer is leaving Georgia Access
Do not wait for automatic re-enrollment. Georgia Access says you will need to select a new plan. Bring me your current plan and your doctors, and we compare every door well before December 15.
Lost coverage in the middle of the year
The clock is 60 days for most events. 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. Georgia Access 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 Georgia Access open enrollment 2027
When is Georgia Access open enrollment for 2027?
Georgia Access open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs from November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027, according to Georgia Access. Georgia runs its own marketplace now, so the dates that count are the ones Georgia Access posts, not the HealthCare.gov calendar you see in national news. This year they happen to match.
What is the Georgia Access deadline for coverage starting January 1, 2027?
December 15, 2026. Georgia Access calls it the last day to enroll in a plan for coverage starting January 1, 2027. Enroll between December 16 and January 15 and coverage begins February 1, 2027, which leaves January uncovered if you have no plan now.
How much are Georgia health insurance rates going up in 2027?
About 20% on average before any tax credit, and it varies a lot by insurer. The proposed increases in state data obtained by the Georgia Recorder, as of late August, ran from 10% to 29% by insurer. ACA Signups, which reads the approved filings in the SERFF rate filing database, puts the final weighted average at 20.7%. I did not find a table of final 2027 rates on the state's own site as of October 3, 2026. Your own plan's change is on your renewal notice.
Which insurers are leaving Georgia Access for 2027?
Cigna and UnitedHealthcare are leaving the Georgia Access market for 2027, and Antidote is new, according to Office of Commissioner of Insurance data published by The Current on August 31, 2026. Georgia Access says that if your 2026 insurance company is not offering plans in your area for 2027, you will need to select a new plan. Do not count on automatic re-enrollment to do it for you.
Can I preview 2027 Georgia Access plans and prices before November 1?
Not this year. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on October 2, 2026 that the state is not offering a window-shopping period for 2027 plans. A spokesperson for the Office of Commissioner of Insurance said that due to some changes, the office was unable to put one forward before open enrollment. Plans and prices show up on November 1, which leaves you about six weeks to decide before the December 15 deadline.
What is a special enrollment period on Georgia Access?
A special enrollment period is a time outside open enrollment when you can enroll in or change a Georgia Access plan because of a qualifying life event, such as losing other coverage, getting married, having or adopting a child, or moving. Georgia Access says you have either 60 or 90 days, depending on the event. Losing Medicaid or PeachCare for Kids gets 90 days. You report the event and supply supporting documents with the application.
What if my income is below the poverty line in Georgia?
Georgia Access says you need estimated household income above 100% of the federal poverty level to get a premium tax credit. Georgia has not adopted the full Medicaid expansion. Its program for adults under that line, Georgia Pathways to Coverage, covers ages 19 through 64 with household income up to 100% of the poverty level ($15,960 for one person in 2026) who complete at least 80 hours a month of qualifying activities. An adult under the line who does not qualify for Pathways or traditional Medicaid gets no tax credit. That is the coverage gap.
Do I have to wait for open enrollment to get health insurance in Georgia?
Only for a regular Georgia Access plan with no qualifying life event. Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids take applications any time of year. Losing coverage mid-year opens a 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 notice, a rough income number, your doctors, and how you use care. I put every Georgia 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
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