FINAL DAY OF OPEN ENROLLMENT ON COVERME.GOV FOR 2026 COVERAGE

The following information was released by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services:

Today is the final day of Open Enrollment for 2026 health insurance coverage through Maine's official Health Insurance Marketplace, CoverME.gov. Maine residents who need coverage are encouraged to enroll by 11:59pm to avoid a gap in coverage. Health coverage obtained today through CoverME.gov would begin on February 1, 2026.

Based on the most recent data available from Maine's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of the Health Insurance Marketplace (OHIM), approximately 58,000 people have selected a plan for 2026. These figures are preliminary and will continue to be updated as Open Enrollment comes to a close and payments are processed.

Preliminary Enrollment Trends

According to the Department's most recent data, 74 percent of enrolled Maine consumers are receiving advance premium tax credits (APTC) that help lower their monthly premium payments. That is down from 85 percent last year.

Among those receiving APTC:

Average premium paid: $181/month, compared to $178 last year.

Average APTC amount: $774/month, compared to $607 last year.

The higher average subsidy amount likely reflects higher underlying premiums and changes in the income distribution of enrolled consumers.

Early data indicate that enrollment behavior in 2026 is shaped by affordability pressures following the expiration of the Federal Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTCs). More than 8,000 consumers who were previously covered through CoverME.gov have cancelled their coverage since the start of Open Enrollment due, with approximately 33 percent of cancellations pointing to affordability as their cancellation reason. Over 3,000 consumers who have cancelled coverage previously qualified for tax credits in 2025 but no longer qualify, mostly due to federal eligibility changes.

While more than 7,000 new consumers have enrolled, new enrollments in CoverME.gov are down approximately 24 percent compared to this time last year. New enrollments are at the lowest level at this point in Open Enrollment since Maine launched its state-based Marketplace in 2020.

At the same time, more consumers are selecting plans with higher deductibles. Enrollment in bronze plans has increased by more than 10 percentage points and now represents nearly 60 percent of all plan selections.

The full enrollment impact of the loss of enhanced subsidies is unlikely to be realized until after the first quarter of 2026 or later.

Consumers who are enrolled in coverage with premium tax credits and have paid the premium for at least a month have a three-month non-payment grace period, which begins the first month of nonpayment, before insurance carriers can terminate coverage for non-payment. Many consumers are currently maintaining coverage but may ultimately not be able to sustain higher premiums over time, particularly if faced with unexpected expenses (e.g., housing, vehicle repairs, or medical bills). Further declines in enrollment and further coverage losses are likely to emerge once the grace period concludes.