Consumers using brokers on the federal marketplace in 29 states will need to authorize their agent. A separate freeze on newly registered brokers limits who can help them enroll.
People seeking help buying 2027 Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance through the federal marketplace face new authorization checks, extra identity requirements for some applicants and fewer newly registered brokers available to assist. The US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) says its measures aim to prevent fraud and improper enrollment, KFF Health News reported on October 23.
The requirements apply to consumers using agents or brokers through the federal marketplace, which serves 29 states. They do not apply to state-run exchanges—the separate marketplaces where other states administer enrollment under their own rules.
The changes follow the expiration of enhanced premium subsidies at the end of 2025. Those larger payments helped consumers cover their monthly insurance bills. Most people buying ACA coverage for 2027 will still receive a subsidy, but the assistance is less generous than before the enhancements expired.
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The identity check uses a CMS-approved third party such as credit company Experian, which generally asks questions only the applicant should be able to answer. Someone who fails may be directed to Experian’s help desk or asked to apply directly through a HealthCare.gov account and upload identification, such as a driver’s license, passport or immigration papers.
Stacey Pogue, a senior research fellow at Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms, said genuine applicants could struggle because they lack a credit file, have moved or have changed names. She said the measures could appropriately target fraudulent enrollment while also creating extra hurdles.
A CMS rule issued in September bars agents who were not registered with the federal marketplace in 2026 from helping with 2027 enrollment until February 2027 at the earliest—after open enrollment ends. CMS said newly registered agents and brokers accounted for a disproportionate share of “significant compliance concerns” in 2026.
Jason Fine, who runs a Florida brokerage, said he supports the changes’ underlying purpose and has reported agents who switched his clients’ coverage without permission. But he said the freeze complicates seasonal hiring. He had planned to add up to 10 agents to a core staff of about five; recruiters told him available agents already registered for 2026 would be hard to find.
The National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals sued the Trump administration on October 15, alleging that the moratorium unfairly targets 19,000 agents who may want to sell ACA plans for 2027. Health Agents for America filed suit on October 21 seeking a temporary restraining order against the moratorium. That request asks a court to halt the restriction.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed in 2025, removes ACA subsidy eligibility from many lawfully present immigrants. The affected groups include temporary H-1B work visa holders, refugees, people granted asylum, people with temporary protected status and those with pending green-card applications, according to KFF Health News.
Groups retaining eligibility include green-card holders with permanent legal status, certain Cuban and Haitian immigrants, and citizens of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands or Palau.
The maximum out-of-pocket limit for ACA plans will rise by 13% in 2027. This limit caps what consumers pay toward deductibles, copayments and coinsurance—the amounts they owe when receiving care—before the policy covers remaining in-network medical costs. Lower limits apply to households earning up to 2.5 times the federal poverty level.
| Coverage | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $10,600 | $12,000 |
| Family | $21,200 | $24,000 |
Open enrollment begins November 1, 2026, in most states, with Idaho, Connecticut and Massachusetts starting earlier. Agents and policy experts advise consumers to compare premiums, coverage, deductibles and other costs rather than let an existing plan renew automatically. Pogue also advises people who rely on a broker to arrange help early, because fewer available agents could mean appointments fill faster.
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