The 6-Week ACA Enrollment Countdown: A Week-by-Week Client Outreach Plan

The ACA open enrollment 2027 runs until January 15, 2027. This year, many states are seeing significant insurer market exits, premium shifts, and altered subsidy dynamics . Therefore, proactive client outreach is essential. Meanwhile, your clients have an earlier deadline. The last day for them to pick a plan for 2027 ACA coverage is December 15, with coverage starting on January 1. This means you have exactly six weeks, from November 1 to December 15, for client outreach. If your clients miss this period, they face a coverage gap, and you risk losing them. 

This guide provides a week-by-week open enrollment communication plan that you can implement in your business to drive more bookings this year. 

TL;DR

• ACA open enrollment for 2027 runs from November 1, 2026, to January 15, 2027.
• Clients who enroll by December 15, 2026, will have coverage from January 1, 2027.
• Those who enroll from December 16 to January 15 will have coverage starting from February 1, 2027.
• Most states follow the federal window, but if you need state-wise information, check this complete US timeline guide . 
• Reaching clients manually, one by one, is a time-consuming and tedious task. 
• Automating text messages using an SMS marketing platform like Textdrip helps you reach clients well in advance, before the open enrollment deadline approaches. 

Why Do You Need an Open Enrollment Communication Plan?

Approximately 23 million people picked 2026 plans, and of those, 19.6 million were returning clients or were auto-re-enrolled. This means only 3.4 million people were new. It’s clear that about 85% of enrollees already have a plan, so you only need to retain the clients you have.

Clients have also become more price-sensitive now. Price increases add pressure, and clients are already talking about this. When KFF shared early numbers in July, members of an r/Fire thread were already bracing for an increase of 10% to 15%. 

Eighty-seven percent of 2026 Marketplace enrollees received a premium subsidy, yet plan selections fell about 5% from 2025. Plans and plan prices also change almost every year, so auto-renewing without a review can leave clients overpaying. 

Many clients also assume that they have time until January 15, 2027. It’s your responsibility to inform them about the ACA open enrollment window. 

Having an open enrollment communication plan answers three questions.

• Who do you contact?
• When do you contact them?
• Which channel do you use?

The following countdown will answer all three questions. 

The 6-Week Open Enrollment Countdown

The most effective open enrollment communication plan begins at least six weeks before enrollment opens, with one goal for each week. 

Keep the SMS character limit in mind and craft short and relevant text messages. Use text messages for sending time-sensitive and brief information and email for detailed information. 

Get explicit written consent before you text, and always include opt-out instructions in the text message. 

Week 1 - (November 1 to 7) - Launch

In the first week, your goal should be to inform every client that client enrollment is open. You can send both an email and a text about this. In both, clearly mention that December 15, 2026, is the last date for coverage starting from January 1, 2027, and that beginning with plan year 2027, fewer immigrant groups qualify for Marketplace subsidies. 

Week 2 - (November 8 to 14) - Review

The second week is all about getting clients off autopilot, and price changes should be your hook. Ask for updated income and household details, and explain that auto-renewal may raise costs. Some clients have no choice: approximately 70,000 people must pick new plans for 2027 because their carriers are leaving the marketplace. 

Week 3 - (November 15 to 21) - Book

In the third week, your goal should be to fill your calendar. Follow up with everyone who didn’t reply, and call clients with complex needs, such as variable income or a new household member. 

Week 4 - (November 22 to 28) - Holiday Week

During the fourth week, you need to stay visible without being noisy. Thanksgiving falls on November 26, so attention is low during this holiday period. Send one short, friendly text, and avoid sending long emails during week 4.

Week 5 - (November 29 to December 5) - Push

The main goal of the fifth week is to create urgency. Clients now have only 10 days left until the December 15 deadline, so give them a simple nudge. Offer evening and weekend slots for busy clients. 

Week 6 - (December 6 to 15) - Final Push

The final week’s main goal is to enroll everyone you can by December 15. To do this, follow up with clients who have not yet enrolled. Call them or send a final reminder text on December 14. 

After December 15: Last Chance and Safety Net

Some clients will still be open to enrolling. They can enroll through January 15, but their coverage won’t start until February 1. Inform them about the January coverage gap, then book them quickly. 

Which Channel Should You Use For Open Enrollment Marketing?

Open enrollment marketing works best when you use each channel strategically and give each one a clear job. 

Text messages work well for reminders because they are short and fast. Email works better when you want to explain something in detail. You should integrate both into your open enrollment marketing strategy. Keep one call to action per message. 

For example:

Say you manage 100 ACA clients and your goal is to reach them all by December 1 and enroll as many as possible by December 15. 

Five clients are still open. You book them before January 15 and check for special enrollment eligibility. Usually, most bookings come after the first message, but follow-up does the real work.

Also Read: Open Enrollment Email vs. Text: Which Channel Gets Employees to Actually Enroll .

Build Your ACA Open Enrollment Countdown With Textdrip 

The last day to enroll for coverage starting January 1, 2027, is December 15, 2026. So you have six weeks and a book full of clients who need a nudge. Follow the week-by-week open enrollment communication plan discussed above. 

Manually sending text messages to each client is tiring and time-consuming. Textdrip helps you solve this problem. Insurance agents can use Textdrip to schedule texts for the full six weeks in advance. You can send personalized text messages and set up drip SMS campaigns to follow up with clients who have not replied. Its two-way texting feature also lets clients reply and book from their phone. 

Don’t let your clients miss the December 15 deadline. Book a Textdrip demo and see how it can help you build your open enrollment countdown. 

It is always good to compare options during open enrollment rather than simply auto-renewing coverage. Premiums and insurers can change every year, so the plan that offered the best value last year might not be the best choice this year. For 2027, this is especially important because premiums are increasing by approximately 15%.