Health Coverage News & Updates

Starting with the 2027 plan year, Open Enrollment on HealthCare.gov — the federal Marketplace serving most states — runs November 1 through December 15, 2026, a full month shorter than the old November 1–January 15 window. The change comes from the 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Final Rule. State-run exchanges may set a later end date, up to December 31.

The annual ACA Open Enrollment Period for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027. Enroll by December 15 for January 1 coverage; enroll by January 15 for February 1 coverage. Outside this window, enrollment requires a qualifying life event (Special Enrollment Period).

Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7 each year. Changes take effect January 1 of the following year. This is when Medicare Advantage enrollees can switch to Original Medicare + Medigap, and when Part D drug plans can be changed or added.

In July 2026, the VA's Foreign Medical Program (FMP) — which reimburses veterans for service-connected care received abroad — moves to a new claims-processing system that supports direct deposit. This is largely a behind-the-scenes and provider-side change; direct deposit applies to U.S. bank accounts, while international accounts still receive a U.S. Treasury check.

The IRS released Revenue Procedure 2026-24 with the 2027 HSA figures: contribution limits of $4,500 (self-only) and $9,000 (family), HDHP minimum deductibles of $1,750/$3,500, and out-of-pocket maximums of $8,700/$17,400. Separately, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and IRS Notice 2026-05, all ACA Bronze and Catastrophic plans became HSA-eligible as of January 1, 2026.

The enhanced premium subsidies from the 2021 American Rescue Plan expired on January 1, 2026. Households above 400% of the Federal Poverty Level ($60,240 single / $124,800 family of four) no longer qualify for Premium Tax Credits. Full-timers above this threshold are seeing significantly higher unsubsidized premiums this year.

Effective January 1, 2026, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act made all ACA Bronze plans HSA-compatible. Direct Primary Care memberships up to $150/month per person are also now explicitly HSA-qualified. This creates a new coverage stack — Bronze ACA plan + HSA + virtual DPC — not previously permitted.

The 2025 Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Reduction Act redesign took full effect in 2026. The maximum out-of-pocket cost for Part D prescription drug coverage is now capped at $2,000 per year — a significant improvement for Medicare enrollees on expensive medications.

The VA issued a new RFP in late 2025 for Community Care Network contracts that expire in 2026. No eligibility changes are expected, but some veterans may experience network disruptions as new contractors are phased in. The VA recommends calling ahead to verify provider CCN status before scheduling appointments.

CMS launched the ACCESS (Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions) Model on July 5, 2026, a 10-year program using telehealth and digital tools to help people with Original Medicare manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic pain, and depression remotely. Beneficiaries can find participating providers through the new ACCESS Directory launching this month, and co-management services carry no beneficiary cost-sharing.

Amazon RxPass allows Prime members to access unlimited quantities of 50+ common generic medications for $5/month with free 2-day delivery. Covered generics include treatments for blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid, cholesterol, depression, and anxiety. Ships to any address — ideal for mail forwarding and nomadic lifestyles.