Open Enrollment may operate differently this year.

There are a lot of factors that impact the cost of health insurance from year to year, but this year is going to be different. Enhanced tax credits were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, and provided more support for HSRI customers to reduce the cost of their monthly premium. This extra help will end at the end of 2025. This represents a loss of about $40 million that went directly to Rhode Islanders to reduce their health insurance costs.

While some level of tax credits will remain for many customers, this additional help will be unavailable unless Congress takes some further action before the end of the year to extend them. Insurance carriers have also proposed higher rates for 2026 in Rhode Island, at least in part due to the loss of these credits.

We recognize that many households are just making ends meet, and a higher expense may be out of reach. We encourage customers to start thinking now about ways they might be able to make room in their budgets for these rising costs in 2026. We encourage you to use our calculator tool when 2026 rates become available (watch this page and our social media for announcements) to shop for an alternative plan that may be more budget-friendly but still meet critical health coverage needs.

We view health coverage as protection of your financial well-being. While we know that staying covered may be a big expense, a single hospital stay or significant surgery without insurance could cost more than what your annual premiums cost. Coverage gives you the ability to plan those payments, and peace of mind to know you won’t be harmed long-term by major medical expenses.

If you lose access to APTCs or your plan becomes unaffordable, you may still be eligible for other options, such as Medicaid (if your income changes), or a lower-cost plan with a higher deductible. If affordability is a concern, we encourage you to explore all available plans to find one that fits your budget.

If you are unable to afford any insurance, you may be able to get care through free or low-cost community clinics, regardless of your coverage status. These clinics can provide essential services like checkups, medications, and screenings at little to no cost. You can also call our contact center or make an appointment with a Navigator for help understanding your options.

The Open Enrollment dates this fall are not expected to change. Customers who need to enroll for 2026 coverage will be able to do that between November 1, 2025 and January 31, 2026.

However, we expect changes next year. Customers who need to enroll for 2027 coverage, will have less time than they have in past years. Based on a new federal rule, Open Enrollment in the fall of 2026 (for coverage that starts in 2027) is expected to end December 31, 2026. You can check back here for more information about Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage.

Under the new federal changes, you will need to provide more paperwork to help show that you’re eligible when you enroll and/or renew your coverage.  There will be fewer ways for us to check data from external sources which means we’ll need you to send in paperwork, and you won’t have much time to do it. 

Stay tuned and watch the mail.  Be sure to regularly check your HealthyRhode account for the most updated information on this, and for  information requests that you’ll need to send us.

There are important changes to who is eligible for both coverage and financial assistance. Check back here for more detail on those changes in the coming days.