Health Insurance Open Enrollment Nears as Premiums Rise in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware
Open enrollment for 2027 health insurance is approaching, and people who buy coverage on their own face sharply higher prices, according to federal data and state announcements.
Insurers in Pennsylvania are raising premiums by an average of 19% next year on plans sold through Pennie, the state’s official marketplace for health and dental coverage. Average rate changes vary by company, the state insurance department said, with some insurers raising rates as much as 30%.
New Jersey’s marketplace, Get Covered New Jersey, will see average increases of 17.6% for 2027. A 40-year-old buying the benchmark silver plan there would pay about $1,050 a month before subsidies, up from about $880 this year, according to state data reported by New Jersey Monitor.
Delaware’s individual market will see average rate increases of 19% for plans sold on the federal marketplace, HealthCare.gov, according to state regulators. The state approved increases ranging from about 13% to 24% across insurers.
The federal marketplace at HealthCare.gov, which Delaware uses, opens Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 15 for 2027 coverage. Pennsylvania’s Pennie and New Jersey’s Get Covered New Jersey follow the same Nov. 1 to Jan. 15 window.
People who buy insurance on their own should review their options even if they like their current plan. Prices and plan networks change every year, and switching to a similar plan from a different insurer can sometimes cut costs. Financial help is available based on income, and most marketplace shoppers qualify for some form of tax credit that lowers monthly premiums.
State marketplaces also offer free help. Pennie has enrollment assisters across Pennsylvania, and Get Covered New Jersey lists navigators who can walk shoppers through their choices at no charge. HealthCare.gov offers a similar helper directory for Delaware residents.
People who get insurance through an employer or through Medicaid and Medicare have different enrollment timelines, so the November-to-January window applies mainly to individuals and families who buy their own coverage.
The bottom line: open enrollment is the one time each year when most people can sign up for or change marketplace coverage. Mark the Nov. 1 opening on your calendar and compare plans before the Jan. 15 deadline.