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- 20.7%average approved 2027 increase for full price plans in Alabama
- 0major carriers announced leaving Alabama for 2027
- Nov 1when you can start comparing 2027 plans
What is happening in Alabama
No major carrier has announced it is leaving the Alabama individual market for 2027. Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, Ambetter (Celtic) and Oscar all filed to keep selling.
The bigger change is cost. Carriers in Alabama filed for an average increase of about 20.7% for 2027 (approved rates) for people who pay full price. Nationally, many carriers point to the same cause: the extra federal subsidies expired at the end of 2025, some healthier people left the marketplace, and the people who stayed cost more to cover on average.
2027 in Alabama: who is selling and what it costs
The Alabama Department of Insurance approved 2027 individual rates in September 2026 for the same four marketplace insurers that sold in 2026. The approved averages by company are:
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama: 19.9%
- UnitedHealthcare: 27.5%
- Celtic Insurance Company (Ambetter): 11.4%
- Oscar: 33.8%
The spread inside each company is wide. Blue Cross ranges from a 2.3% decrease on Blue Protect to a 25.6% increase on Blue Value Gold. Oscar ranges from 12.1% to 48.2% depending on the plan. So two neighbors with the same company can see very different renewal letters, and the cheapest company for you in 2026 may not be the cheapest in 2027.
Alabama uses HealthCare.gov. Open enrollment runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, and you need to pick a plan by December 15 for a January 1 start. Alabama has not expanded Medicaid. That matters at the low end: adults with income below the federal poverty level often cannot get a marketplace subsidy and may not qualify for Medicaid either, so getting the 2027 income estimate right is important.
About 455,776 Alabamians picked a marketplace plan for 2026. Blue Cross told regulators it expects many individual members to leave the market in 2027. If your Blue Cross renewal jumped, I can compare it against the other three companies and plans sold off the marketplace.
Where carriers are leaving
The exits are real, just not in Alabama. Cigna is leaving the individual market in all 11 states where it sells. Baylor Scott & White is leaving Texas, CareSource is leaving Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia, Medica is leaving Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma, and several smaller carriers are leaving other states. If you moved recently or have family elsewhere, the all states overview lists them.
What the price change means for you
If you get a subsidy, the headline increase is not what you pay. Your subsidy is recalculated on your estimated 2027 income, and it usually absorbs much of a price increase. Updating your income estimate matters more than the rate filing.
If you do not get a subsidy, you feel the full increase. This is where it pays to compare more than one kind of coverage. Private major medical plans are priced differently from ACA plans, and for many people who pay full price they can cost less for similar or better coverage. I compare both, side by side, so you can see the real numbers for your household.
The practical point: if you do nothing, most plans renew automatically at the new 2027 price. Automatic renewal does not check whether a different plan now costs less or fits your doctors better. That check takes a few minutes.
The dates that matter
- Fall 2026Renewal notices arrive with your 2027 price. Read it, even if you plan to keep your plan.
- November 1, 2026Open enrollment opens for 2027 coverage. You can compare and choose from this date.
- December 15, 2026Deadline to pick a plan that starts January 1, 2027.
- January 15, 2027Open enrollment closes. After this you generally need a qualifying life event to change plans.
What to do, in order
Read your renewal notice
It shows your 2027 premium and any plan changes. Compare it with what you pay today.
Write down your doctors and your prescriptions
The physicians you want to keep and the exact drugs with dosages. Networks and drug lists change from year to year even when the carrier stays.
Re-estimate your income for 2027
Your subsidy is based on your estimated income for the year ahead. If it changed, your real cost changes with it.
Compare before December 15
Compare on total cost, meaning premium plus deductible plus what you expect to use, and include private options if you pay full price.
Common questions
Is my health insurance company leaving Alabama in 2027?
Based on the 2027 rate filings, no major carrier has announced an exit from the Alabama individual market. If you receive a notice that your specific plan is being discontinued, keep it, because it can qualify you for a special enrollment period.
Why is my premium going up for 2027?
Carriers in Alabama filed for an average increase of about 20.7% (approved). Rising medical costs and the end of the extra federal subsidies after 2025 are the main reasons carriers give. If you get a subsidy, your net cost depends on your 2027 income.
Do I have to use a broker?
No. You can enroll yourself at HealthCare.gov at no cost. A licensed broker also costs you nothing, because brokers are paid by the carriers and the premium is identical either way. A broker can also show you private plans that are not sold on the marketplace.