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Key Takeaways
- For most states, the final deadline to enroll in a Marketplace health insurance plan for 2025 is Jan. 15. However, a few states (California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island) and Washington, D.C. have pushed deadlines out further.
- Expanded consumer subsidies can bring your monthly premiums down as low as $10 a month.
- If you miss the deadline for ACA health insurance plan enrollment, you may have other options for coverage, including COBRA or short-term health insurance.
Costs for Marketplace Healthcare Plans in 2025
There have been a few changes to Affordable Care Act (ACA, commonly called Obamacare) health insurance plans in 2025. Premiums have generally risen, though there has been considerable price variation based on region and plan level.
Maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) limits, on the other hand, have gone down. A MOOP caps how much you have to spend before you get 100% coverage, so a lower MOOP is better for your wallet if you use a lot of care during the year. Combined, these price changes could make your overall healthcare costs higher or lower in 2025, depending on your plan and healthcare spending.
How to Enroll and Get the Best Price
To compare plans to get the best one for your needs, first check to see if your state uses Healthcare.gov or a state-run marketplace. Once you’re on the appropriate website, you can compare the options of different plans. You can filter options based on coverage, premiums, maximum out-of-pocket amounts, and more.
Once you select a plan, the website will take you through the application process. If you qualify for a premium tax credit, the marketplace may provide you with an estimate of how much you can save on premiums. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), about 80% of enrollees qualify for a subsidy that will make their premiums as low as $10 per month.
You can choose whether to get an advanced premium tax credit, which is applied to your monthly premiums or to receive the premium credit as a lump sum the following year when you file your tax return.
Expanded Premium Tax Credits Are Set to Expire After 2025
While premium tax credits to subsidize healthcare premiums have been around since 2014, enhancements to them were made in 2021 and extended through 2025. These provisions extended the eligibility to more households and offered larger subsidies, making coverage much more affordable.
As a result, the ACA marketplace has seen record enrollment growth. There are 11.6 million more individuals with health insurance in 2025 than there were in 2021—and enrollment isn’t over yet.
These positive gains might not last, however. The expanded subsidies are set to expire at the end of this year. The Congressional Budget Office anticipates that if they are not extended by Congress this year, enrollment will drop because premiums will rise in every state and for every income level.
President Biden has urged Congress to extend the premium tax credits, but some conservatives argue that they are too expensive. The CBO says they could increase the deficit by $335 billion between 2025 and 2034 if made permanent.
What Happens If You Miss the Deadline?
While most states have a deadline of Jan. 15, a few have deadlines further out. California, New Jersey, New York, and Washington, D.C. all have a Jan. 31 deadline. Massachusetts has a deadline of January 23, while Rhode Island’s deadline was extended to Feb. 28 due to a data security breach.
If you miss the deadline, you still have a few insurance options. If you’ve experienced a qualifying event, you may be eligible for a special enrollment period. Qualifying events include:
- Getting married or divorced
- Giving birth to or adopting a child
- Turning 26 and losing parental healthcare coverage
- Losing existing healthcare coverage
- Becoming ineligible for Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP
- Death in the family
- Changing your place of residence
- Becoming a U.S. citizen
Continued Health Insurance Coverage Through COBRA
If you’ve just lost health insurance because of a job change, you may be eligible for COBRA health benefits. COBRA allows you to continue your existing health insurance plan by paying the full premium, including the portion your employer formerly paid. This often makes the plan much more expensive than when you were employed, but it can help you continue your coverage as long as you apply for COBRA within 60 days of your qualifying event.
Short-Term Health Insurance for Limited Coverage
If you’re between enrollment periods and COBRA isn’t an option, you can use short-term health insurance (STHI) to get you to the next enrollment period. You can purchase an STHI plan anytime, but these plans do not have the same protections that ACA plans do. Short-term health insurance coverage is typically limited, and may not include coverage for preexisting conditions or serious medical services, such as maternity care.
As of September 2024, STHI plans can only provide coverage for a maximum of four months. The incoming Trump administration may revert these rules back to the 364-day limit that it put in place in 2018.
While STHI and COBRA aren’t ideal options for long-term health insurance coverage, they may be your only option to get you to the next enrollment period if you miss the ACA January deadline.
