Cigna Is Leaving the ACA Marketplace in 2027: What to Do

Cigna is leaving the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. The insurer will not offer individual and family health plans in any state for 2027, so its roughly 369,000 individual and family plan members will need new coverage. Your current plan keeps working through the end of 2026, but you should pick a new plan during open enrollment so you are not left with a gap or a plan you did not choose.

Here is what is happening, which states are affected and what to do before your deadline.

Why Is Cigna Leaving the ACA Marketplace?

Cigna announced the exit in late April 2026. The company said it did not see a way to meaningfully grow its ACA business and would focus on its employer health plans and its Evernorth pharmacy and health services business, according to STAT News.

Cigna’s marketplace enrollment had already been shrinking. Cigna reported about 369,000 individual and family plan members in early 2026, down from roughly 446,000 a year earlier. KFF puts its marketplace enrollment at more than 350,000. Cigna is one of several insurers leaving for 2027: KFF’s tracker, last updated October 7, 2026, lists 11 carriers exiting the marketplaces in some or all of their states.

The exit covers plans bought through the marketplace and plans bought directly from Cigna, according to KFF. It does not affect Cigna coverage you get through an employer.

Which States Is Cigna Leaving?

Cigna sells marketplace plans in 11 states and is leaving all of them for 2027. Open enrollment starts November 1, 2026, in every state below. Deadlines depend on which marketplace your state uses.

The January 15 deadline is not the date to aim for. Enroll by mid-December so your new plan starts January 1, right when your Cigna plan ends. See our full guide to 2027 open enrollment dates.

Will My Cigna Coverage End Early?

No. Cigna’s exit takes effect at the end of 2026. You can keep using your current plan, doctors and pharmacy benefits through December 31, 2026, as long as you keep paying your premium. Insurers leaving a market entirely must give members at least 180 days’ notice, and Cigna announced its exit in April.

Claims for care you get in 2026 are still Cigna’s responsibility. If you are in the middle of treatment, ask your doctors which 2027 plans they will accept before you choose.

What Happens If I Do Nothing?

If you bought your Cigna plan through the marketplace and do not pick a new one, federal rules allow the marketplace to move you into a similar plan from another insurer, where state law permits. Georgia Access, for example, moves members of exiting insurers into another insurer’s plan. Other state marketplaces, including Get Covered Illinois and Connect for Health Colorado, tell Cigna members they need to choose a new plan themselves.

That backup plan keeps you covered, but it may not be the right fit. It could have a higher premium, a different deductible or a network that does not include your doctors. It is better to choose your own plan.

If you bought your plan directly from Cigna, outside the marketplace, there is no marketplace to move you. You will likely need to buy a new plan yourself to avoid a gap in coverage.

How to Choose a New Plan for 2027

Start by listing your doctors, hospitals and prescriptions. Then compare plans from the insurers still selling in your area. Look at the full cost, not just the monthly premium. The deductible, copays and out-of-pocket maximum matter just as much.

Check your subsidy, too. The enhanced premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025, so many people pay more than they did a few years ago. Our ACA subsidy calculator estimates your 2027 tax credit, and our guide to whether you’ll qualify for an ACA subsidy in 2027 explains the rules.

Update your income on your application when you shop. Your subsidy is based on what you expect to earn in 2027, and reporting it accurately helps you avoid owing money back at tax time.

Wondering how other insurers compare? Our reviews of UnitedHealthcare, Oscar, Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield are a good place to start, and our list of the best health insurance companies for 2027 ranks the field.

What If I Miss Open Enrollment?

Losing your plan because your insurer left the market generally qualifies you for a Special Enrollment Period, which lets you sign up outside open enrollment. Connect for Health Colorado, for example, gives affected Cigna customers until March 1, 2027. Do not count on it as your plan, though, because anything that starts after January 1 leaves you uninsured in between. Waiting can leave you with a gap, and you may need to show proof that you lost coverage.

What If Marketplace Plans Are Too Expensive?

If you do not qualify for much of a subsidy, a marketplace plan can be costly. Other options include coverage through an employer or spouse, Medicaid if your income qualifies, or private plans sold outside the marketplace. Some alternatives, like short-term health insurance, cost less but do not have to cover pre-existing conditions or all ACA essential health benefits. Our guide to marketplace health insurance alternatives compares the trade-offs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cigna leaving the ACA marketplace?

Yes. Cigna will not sell individual and family ACA plans in any state for 2027. It currently sells them in 11 states: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

When does my Cigna marketplace plan end?

Your plan stays in effect through the end of 2026 as long as you keep paying your premium. You need new coverage for January 1, 2027.

What is the deadline to replace my Cigna plan?

Open enrollment runs November 1, 2026, to January 15, 2027, in HealthCare.gov states. Choose a plan by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1. Virginia’s deadline is January 29, and other state marketplaces may have their own dates for January 1 coverage.

Will I be automatically switched to another plan?

It depends on your state. Some marketplaces, like Georgia Access, move members into a similar plan from another insurer. Others ask you to choose. If you bought directly from Cigna, you likely need to buy a new plan yourself. The safest move is to pick your own plan by mid-December.

Is Cigna leaving employer health insurance or Medicare too?

Employer plans are not affected. Cigna is focusing on its employer business. Cigna already left Medicare: it sold its Medicare Advantage and Part D business to Health Care Service Corporation in 2025, and those plans are now sold under the HealthSpring name.

Sources

• KFF, Tracking Insurer Participation Changes in the ACA Marketplaces in 2027
• STAT News, Cigna exits ACA market for 2027
• healthinsurance.org, Health insurers are exiting the marketplace again
• healthinsurance.org, 2027 open enrollment deadlines by state
• HealthCare.gov, Dates and deadlines for 2027 health insurance
• Pharmaceutical Executive, Cigna Group completes sale of Medicare businesses (March 2025)
• 45 CFR 155.335, Annual eligibility redetermination and re-enrollment
• ACASignups, Cigna exiting ACA exchanges
• Connect for Health Colorado, Cigna leaving FAQ
• Get Covered Illinois, 2027 plan changes