How to Approve Your ObamaCare Agent in 2027 (One-Time Code)
Updated October 13, 2026 · By the Arte Insurance team · 5-minute read
Open Enrollment for 2027 runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, and you need to choose a plan by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1. This year, new federal rules change how licensed agents can help with your Marketplace (ObamaCare) application: you approve your agent yourself, and some people need an identity check first. Here’s what to expect, and how to make sure nobody changes your plan without your OK.
1. Check your HealthCare.gov account before November 1
On August 31, 2026, CMS canceled about 315,000 Marketplace enrollments, covering more than 760,000 people, after confirming they were unauthorized. Take five minutes to log in at HealthCare.gov and review your application:
- The plan you’re enrolled in
- Everyone listed in your household
- The income on your application
- Your phone number, email and mailing address
If something looks wrong, or you see changes you didn’t make, call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325). It’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except holidays. Write down the date, the time and the name of the person you spoke with.
2. The phone and email on your application must be yours
When an agent helps you, the approval code or link goes to the phone number or email on your application. They must be yours (or your authorized representative’s), never your agent’s. If it’s an old number or someone else’s email, you won’t be able to approve your agent in time. If they need updating, you make that change yourself at HealthCare.gov or by calling the Marketplace Call Center.
3. How you’ll approve your agent
If a licensed agent helps you through an online enrollment platform (the tools most agents use), you’ll get a text, an email or an automated call with a one-time code or link:
- It works only once.
- It expires 15 minutes after it’s sent, so keep your phone nearby when your agent calls.
- If it expires, your agent can send another one. You can get up to three in 24 hours.
- Your approval lasts for the whole plan year, unless you approve a different agent. Only one agent can be linked to your application at a time.
Approving your agent is free, and it doesn’t change your premium.
4. Some applications need an identity check first
You may need to verify your identity before you can approve an agent if:
- It’s a new application
- You’re switching to a different agent
- You already have a health plan that costs $30 or less a month after your tax credit
The check is done through Experian or another identity service approved by CMS. If the Experian check doesn’t work, you’ll get a reference number to call the Experian help desk. You can also apply at HealthCare.gov and upload identity documents for review.
5. Red flags: when not to approve
Only approve a code or link if you asked that agent for help. Be careful if someone:
- Offers cash, gift cards or a “free plan” for signing up
- Pressures you to enroll right away
- Says everyone qualifies, or promises a specific tax credit before looking at your information
- Asks you to pay to apply (applying for Marketplace coverage is free)
- Asks for your HealthCare.gov password
Never share your HealthCare.gov password with anyone, including us. If you get a code you didn’t expect, don’t approve it. Call the Marketplace Call Center instead.
6. How Arte Insurance helps
- We ask for your consent first and explain every step.
- We call you at a time that works for you, so you can approve us within the 15 minutes.
- We guide you through the identity check if you need one.
- You review your application before it’s submitted.
- Our help is free, and your premium is the same as if you enrolled on your own.
Call us at (305) 440-8070 or request a free quote. We help in English and Spanish. Have your documents ready (here’s the checklist), and if you’re renewing, see how to renew for 2027.
Common questions
Does the code come from HealthCare.gov? Not always. It comes from the online enrollment platform your agent uses. If you’re not sure a message is real, call your agent at a number you already know, or call the Marketplace Call Center.
What if I apply on my own? You don’t need to approve anyone. You can apply at HealthCare.gov or by calling 1-800-318-2596.
Can I change agents? Yes. When you approve a new agent, that agent replaces the old one on your application. You may need to complete an identity check first.
Arte Insurance is a private, licensed insurance agency (Florida license L116417). We are not HealthCare.gov or a government agency. You can also apply directly at HealthCare.gov or by calling 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325). This article is general information, not legal advice.
Sources: CMS: identity proofing and agent/broker authorization FAQs, Aug. 3, 2026 (PDF) · CMS: Federal Marketplace anti-fraud actions, Sept. 22, 2026 · HealthCare.gov: contact us · HealthCare.gov: dates and deadlines