The health insurance marketplace
Where you buy coverage if you do not get it through work. 22 states run their own exchange with their own deadlines — HealthCare.gov is not everyone's marketplace.
"The marketplace" is the government-run place where you buy health insurance if you are not covered through a job or a public program. It is also called the exchange, and in 22 states it has its own name and its own website. Every plan sold there has to cover the same ten categories of care, cannot refuse you or charge you more for a pre-existing condition, and is the only place a premium tax credit can be used.
There is no single marketplace — yours depends on your state
This is the part almost every national explainer gets wrong by omission. If you live in one of the 22 states below, HealthCare.gov is not your marketplace. Going there will redirect you, and more importantly the deadlines are set by your state, not by the federal calendar.
| State | Its marketplace | Where | Enrollment closes for 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Covered California | coveredca.com | January 31, 2027 |
| Colorado | Connect for Health Colorado | connectforhealthco.com | January 15, 2027 (same as federal) |
| Connecticut | Access Health CT | accesshealthct.com | January 15, 2027 (same as federal) |
| District of Columbia | DC Health Link | dchealthlink.com | not yet published |
| Georgia | Georgia Access | georgiaaccess.gov | not yet published |
| Idaho | Your Health Idaho | yourhealthidaho.org | December 15, 2026 |
| Illinois | Get Covered Illinois | getcovered.illinois.gov | not yet published |
| Kentucky | kynect | kynect.ky.gov | January 15, 2027 (same as federal) |
| Maine | CoverME.gov | coverme.gov | not yet published |
| Maryland | Maryland Health Connection | marylandhealthconnection.gov | not yet published |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Health Connector | mahealthconnector.org | January 23, 2027 |
| Minnesota | MNsure | mnsure.org | January 15, 2027 (same as federal) |
| Nevada | Nevada Health Link | nevadahealthlink.com | January 15, 2027 (same as federal) |
| New Jersey | Get Covered New Jersey | nj.gov/getcoverednj | January 31, 2027 |
| New Mexico | beWellnm | bewellnm.com | not yet published |
| New York | NY State of Health | nystateofhealth.ny.gov | not yet published |
| Oregon | Explore Health | ExploreHealthOR.gov | not yet published |
| Pennsylvania | Pennie | pennie.com | January 15, 2027 (same as federal) |
| Rhode Island | HealthSource RI | healthsourceri.com | not yet published |
| Vermont | Vermont Health Connect | healthconnect.vermont.gov | not yet published |
| Virginia | Virginia's Insurance Marketplace | marketplace.virginia.gov | January 29, 2027 |
| Washington | Washington Healthplanfinder | wahealthplanfinder.org | January 15, 2027 (same as federal) |
The remaining 27 states use HealthCare.gov directly, and 2 run their own marketplace on the federal platform — the state sets policy but you still enroll at HealthCare.gov on the federal dates.
Deadlines checked 2026-09-01. 10 marketplaces had not published a confirmed 2027 closing date at that point; this site says so rather than printing one it cannot source.
What is actually sold there
Marketplace plans are grouped into metal tiers, which describe how the cost is split between you and the insurer rather than the quality of care. They differ by network type, which decides which doctors and hospitals are included. How many you get to choose between is a local question: insurers file county by county, and the number selling in one county can be several times the number in another. Look up yours.
What is not sold on the marketplace is worth knowing too. Short-term plans, fixed-indemnity products and health care sharing ministries are sold elsewhere, are not required to cover pre-existing conditions, and no premium tax credit can be used to buy them.
When you can use it
The marketplace is not open all year. Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage begins November 1, 2026 in most states, and the closing date depends on who runs your marketplace — several run later than the federal one. Outside that window you need a Special Enrollment Period, which a life event such as losing job coverage, moving, marriage or a birth opens for 60 days.
Medicaid is the exception: if your income qualifies you, it enrolls year-round with no window at all.
Who it is for
Roughly: people who work for themselves, people between jobs, people whose employer offers nothing, people who retired before 65, and people who aged off a parent's plan. Guidance by situation covers each.