Pennie Open Enrollment Starts November 1 in Pennsylvania: How Philadelphians Enroll, Renew, and Lower the Cost for 2027
If you buy your own health insurance — or you have none right now — your window opens soon. Pennie, Pennsylvania’s official health insurance marketplace, opens enrollment for 2027 coverage on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
Pennie is the only place where a premium tax credit can lower your monthly cost. Buying the same plan directly from an insurance company gets you no credit at all. If you don’t get insurance through a job, Pennie is where you shop.
The two deadlines that matter
- Enroll by December 15, 2026 and your coverage starts January 1, 2027.
- Enroll December 16 – January 15, 2027 and your coverage starts February 1, 2027.
- After January 15, the window closes — outside of a big life change (losing other coverage, a move, a new baby), you wait for next year.
Already have Pennie? Do not just let it renew this year
2027 is a must-review year. Health costs have risen sharply, and Pennsylvania’s Insurance Department approved an average increase of about 16% statewide for individual plans — your own plan may be more or less, but do not assume last year’s price. Financial help is also narrowing for some people, and fewer customers can count on automatic renewal keeping the same price and the same help. Log in, check your 2027 price and your tax credit, and switch plans if a better one fits. Doing nothing can cost you.
Check Medical Assistance first — it may be free
Pennsylvania expanded Medicaid, so many working adults qualify for Medical Assistance (MA) — full coverage with little or no monthly cost. A single adult can earn up to $22,025 a year and still qualify. If your income fits MA, that is your first door — apply free on COMPASS any time of year; you do not need to wait for November 1.
Kids may fit CHIP instead — free for a family of four earning up to $68,640, with low-cost plans above that. One application on COMPASS checks MA and CHIP together.
Not sure which door is yours? Take the free 2-minute check — it sorts MA, CHIP, Pennie, and the rest of your matches, or let us build your step-by-step guide free.
Pennie is not Medicare
If you are 65 or older, your window is different: Medicare open enrollment runs October 15 – December 7, and Pennie does not sell Medicare plans. Free, unbiased Medicare counseling: PA MEDI, 215-765-9040.
Free help, in person and by phone
- Pennie Customer Service: 1-844-844-8040
- Pennie-certified assisters and brokers help you enroll for free — find one near you at pennie.com.
- See the full program details on our Pennie program page.
Get ready before November 1
Have these handy so enrolling takes minutes: your household’s estimated 2027 income, the names of doctors and hospitals you want to keep, and your current prescriptions — then check that any plan you pick covers them.
Philadelphia Benefits is not a government agency. Applying is always free at the official sites.
