How to Apply for ObamaCare in Florida for 2027, Step by Step

Updated October 24, 2026 · By the Arte Insurance team · 7-minute read

There are four ways to apply for ObamaCare in Florida for 2027: online at HealthCare.gov (the fastest), by phone at 1-800-318-2596, with a licensed agent such as Arte Insurance, or with a paper application. The steps are the same either way: create your account, fill out the application with your household and your 2027 income, see whether you qualify for help, compare plans, enroll by December 15 for coverage on January 1, and pay your first premium.

Updated: October 24, 2026 · Source: HealthCare.gov, how to apply

Many families in Hialeah, Miami and across Florida are applying for the first time this year: they lost Medicaid, they work for themselves, they arrived recently, or their job offers no coverage. This guide walks through the process step by step so you know what to expect before you start. Open Enrollment for 2027 runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027.

The four ways to apply

1. Online at HealthCare.gov (CuidadoDeSalud.gov in Spanish). HealthCare.gov calls it the fastest way to apply, and it works from a phone.
2. By phone, through the Marketplace Call Center: 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325), 24 hours a day, in English and Spanish. They fill out the application and enroll you on the same call.
3. With a licensed agent, such as Arte Insurance. We help you in English or Spanish to gather your information, complete the application, compare your county’s plans and enroll. For Marketplace applications, insurers pay licensed agents, so your premium is the same as applying on your own. HealthCare.gov also lets you apply through approved enrollment partners, such as some insurers and online platforms.
4. On paper, by mail. According to HealthCare.gov, eligibility results arrive by mail within about 2 weeks. It is the slowest option.

Whichever way you choose, never share your HealthCare.gov password, not even with us. And if someone asks you for money to “sign you up for ObamaCare”, treat it as a red flag: HealthCare.gov has no application fee and licensed agents are paid by the insurers.

Before you start: have this ready

• Names and dates of birth for everyone in your household, and Social Security numbers for the people applying for coverage who have them.
• Immigration document numbers for applicants who are not citizens (green card, work permit, I-94 and so on).
• Your best estimate of your household income for 2027: recent pay stubs, last year’s tax return, or your records if you are self-employed.
• Details of any coverage you or your family could get through a job, including its cost.
• Your list of doctors and medicines, so you can pick a plan that covers them.

Our document checklist goes item by item, and the ObamaCare 2027 checklist (PDF) sums it up on two printable pages.

Step 1: create your account (or log in to the one you have)

Starting November 1 you can apply for 2027. On HealthCare.gov you start with your name, address and email. Use an email and a phone number you check often: Marketplace notices go there. If you had an account in a previous year, use the same one; don’t create a second one.

Step 2: fill out the application

The application asks about your household (who lives with you and who files taxes with you), the income you expect in 2027, and the immigration status of the people asking for coverage. Three points cause most mistakes:

• Use your 2027 income, not your 2025 income. Your help is based on what you expect to earn next year. If you earn more than you reported, you may have to pay part of the credit back at tax time; from tax year 2026 there is no cap on how much you could owe. Our 2027 calculator gives a quick estimate, and if you are self-employed, here is how to figure your net income.
• Mixed-status families: family members who are not applying for coverage are not asked about their immigration status and don’t need a Social Security number. A citizen child can get help even if a parent can’t.
• Job coverage: if your job (or your spouse’s) offers a plan the Marketplace considers affordable, you generally can’t get a premium tax credit. For 2027, employee-only coverage counts as affordable if it costs no more than 10.22% of household income.

Step 3: see your results

When you submit, the Marketplace tells you whether you qualify for a premium tax credit that lowers your monthly payment, for extra savings on deductibles and copays (Silver plans, if your income is up to 250% of the poverty level), or whether someone in your household may qualify for Medicaid or Florida KidCare. For 2027 the credit applies to incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level; see the 2027 income limits and the full requirements, including the January 1, 2027 immigration change.

Sometimes the Marketplace can’t confirm a detail and asks for documents: you usually have 90 days for income and 95 days for citizenship or immigration status, and your coverage can start in the meantime. See what to send and by when.

Step 4: compare your county’s plans

2027 plans and prices appear on HealthCare.gov on November 1. Before you choose, check:

• The monthly premium after your tax credit.
• The deductible and the out-of-pocket maximum, not just the premium.
• Whether your doctors, clinics and hospitals are in the plan’s network.
• Whether your medicines are covered, and at what cost.
• The plan level: Bronze, Silver or Gold?

In 2027 Cigna and Sunshine State Health Plan leave Florida’s Marketplace; if you had one of those plans, pick another by December 15 (what to do).

Step 5: enroll on time

• Pick your plan by December 15, 2026 for coverage starting January 1, 2027.
• If you enroll between December 16 and January 15, coverage starts February 1.
• After January 15 you can only enroll with a qualifying life event (Special Enrollment Period). If you lost Medicaid on October 1, you usually have 90 days (what to do).

New in 2027 if you apply with an agent: you approve your agent yourself with a one-time code or link sent by text, email or automated call. It expires in 15 minutes, so keep your phone nearby when we call. Some applications need a quick identity check first. See how to approve your agent.

Step 6: pay your first premium

Enrolling is not the last step. Your coverage starts when you pay your first premium to the insurer, not to the Marketplace. The insurer sends a bill or a payment link; pay it before the due date so your plan starts January 1. Details in how to pay your first premium.

Step 7: after you enroll

• Keep your confirmation and your plan card when it arrives.
• Report changes in income, address or household to the Marketplace during the year; your help is adjusted.
• If HealthCare.gov asks for documents, send them before the deadline.
• File your 2027 taxes with Form 1095-A, which you’ll receive in 2028; that is how the credit is reconciled.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply in Spanish?
Yes. CuidadoDeSalud.gov is in Spanish, the Call Center helps in Spanish, and Arte Insurance helps you in Spanish or English.

How long does it take?
Online or by phone, you usually see your results the same day and can pick a plan in the same session. On paper, results arrive by mail in about 2 weeks.

Do I need a computer?
No. You can apply from a phone, by calling 1-800-318-2596, or with a licensed agent.

Does it cost anything to apply?
You don’t pay an application fee at HealthCare.gov, and licensed agents are paid by the insurers. What you pay is your plan’s monthly premium, after any help you qualify for.

What if I don’t qualify for help?
You can still buy a Marketplace plan at full price if you meet the enrollment requirements, or compare options outside the Marketplace with a licensed agent.

We help you apply, step by step

We are a private insurance agency licensed in Florida (license L116417), based in Hialeah, helping families across the state by phone and online. We gather your details, complete the application with you, compare your county’s plans around your doctors and medicines, and enroll you. Insurers pay licensed agents; your premium is the same as applying on your own.

Get a quote or call (786) 808-1802.

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Arte Insurance is a private, licensed insurance agency (Florida license L116417). We are not HealthCare.gov or any 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, immigration or tax advice. Every situation is different: for yours, talk to a licensed agent.

Sources: HealthCare.gov: how to apply · HealthCare.gov: get ready to apply · HealthCare.gov: how to get Marketplace health insurance · HealthCare.gov: dates and deadlines · CMS: agent and broker authorization FAQs (PDF) · IRS: Rev. Proc. 2026-26, 2027 applicable percentages (PDF)