Who is leaving, what's left in your county, and what to do before the deadline. Last checked October 5, 2026.
No major insurer is leaving the Alabama marketplace for 2027.
In 2026, 4 companies sold Alabama marketplace plans: Ambetter (Centene), Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, Oscar and UnitedHealthcare.
Hi, I'm Sam Jaber, a licensed health insurance broker, and I'm licensed in 36 states, including Alabama. I checked whether any Alabama marketplace insurer planned to leave in 2027 and found none. The Alabama Department of Insurance approved 2027 rates for the same four insurers offering marketplace coverage in 2026. I also compared those companies with the 2026 county-level plan data to make sure.
That's encouraging, but don't take it to mean your coverage will stay exactly as it is. Even when an insurer remains, it can discontinue your plan, switch you to another, narrow the provider network or revise covered medications. Those changes rarely make the news. Your insurer's letter this fall should spell them out, so take the time to read it carefully.
What concerns me in Alabama isn't companies leaving. It's the limited competition some counties already have. In 2026, seven counties had just one marketplace insurer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. Those were Autauga and Elmore near Montgomery, along with Butler, Crenshaw, Lamar, Monroe and Wilcox. Meanwhile, Jefferson, Madison, Shelby, Limestone and Walker counties in the Birmingham and Huntsville areas each had four insurers.
When your county has only one marketplace insurer, the decision isn't which company to use. It's which of that company's plans fits you best. During open enrollment, look beyond the monthly premium. Check the deductible, covered prescriptions and whether your doctors participate in the 2027 network.
Start with your renewal notice and go through the details: plan name, provider network, deductible and prescription coverage. If any of those have changed, don't simply accept an automatic renewal. And when your household income puts you above the premium tax credit limit, compare a nationwide PPO quote with Alabama marketplace coverage before making your decision.
We already know Alabama's rates for 2027. The Alabama Department of Insurance approved them September 3, with average increases ranging from 11.4% to 33.8% by insurer, effective January 1. A subsidy can absorb much of the increase, but don't assume this year's lowest-priced plan will still be your best deal next year. Shop again. If you're paying the entire premium yourself, those increases make another quote especially worthwhile.
No Alabama county loses a marketplace insurer for 2027 from what I checked.
On the marketplace, PPO plans were sold in 67 of Alabama's 67 counties in 2026. They come from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama.
Your coverage doesn't end immediately just because the insurer is leaving. The existing policy continues through December 31, 2026, and you're entitled to written notice beforehand. Federal requirements call for at least 90 calendar days of notice when an insurer discontinues a plan, or at least 180 calendar days when it withdraws completely from a state's individual market. Haven't received anything yet? Contact your insurer and request the notice.
Here's where people often misunderstand the process. Under federal regulation 45 CFR 155.335, the marketplace may place you with another insurer when your current company has no remaining marketplace plan. That's permission, not a guarantee. State law and the regulator's instructions govern the transfer. Without specific direction, the marketplace chooses a "similar" plan. The regulation doesn't require anyone to verify that your doctors or medications are covered.
Purchased your coverage directly from the insurer rather than through the marketplace? Its automatic re-enrollment provisions don't apply to your policy. You'll have to select replacement coverage on your own.
HealthCare.gov opens enrollment November 1. You should receive 2 notices by that point, one from your insurer and another from the marketplace. The marketplace notice identifies any replacement plan you'll be placed in if you haven't acted by December 15. HealthCare.gov also warns that automatic re-enrollment doesn't happen in every situation.
Choose your replacement no later than December 15 to begin coverage January 1. Enrolling from December 16 through January 15 gives you a February 1 effective date. If your previous policy ends December 31, that means going without coverage for January.
You might still qualify to enroll after the regular window closes. HealthCare.gov recognizes discontinued coverage as a qualifying event, and federal regulations allow 60 days before and 60 days after your old plan's termination to select replacement coverage. I wouldn't rely on that as your first choice. Make sure you're eligible before planning around those dates.
The way I'd approach this depends on your particular situation and where things stand for you. Whichever route makes sense, the next step is the same: let's talk on the phone before the deadline.
If your income puts you outside the tax credit range, you're responsible for the entire marketplace premium, with your choices limited to the insurers serving your county. That's when I'd also consider private coverage. Medically underwritten plans use nationwide PPO networks, and their pricing reflects your health. Healthy applicants may pay less than the marketplace's unsubsidized rate. There are tradeoffs: insurers ask medical questions and can reject an application or exclude a preexisting condition. We'll review those details together before you decide.
Next step: Give me a call, and I'll compare a nationwide PPO quote for your household with the marketplace coverage offered in your Alabama county.
Regardless of which insurers remain on your county's marketplace, I can help you obtain a nationwide PPO in Alabama. On the marketplace, PPO plans were sold in 67 of Alabama's 67 counties in 2026. They come from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama.
For healthy people paying the entire marketplace premium, it's worth comparing private, medically underwritten PPO coverage. These plans offer networks extending nationwide. I carry health insurance licenses in 36 states, including Alabama.
Straight answers, no sales pitch.
No major insurer is leaving the Alabama marketplace for 2027. The Alabama Department of Insurance's 2027 rate approval names the same four marketplace insurers as 2026: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, UnitedHealthcare, Ambetter and Oscar.
Possibly, but there's no guarantee. Federal rules permit the marketplace to assign a comparable plan from another insurer when state law and regulators allow it. HealthCare.gov specifically cautions that automatic re-enrollment isn't always available. And if your current coverage was purchased outside the marketplace, that process won't apply. My advice is to choose your replacement yourself.
To start coverage January 1 through HealthCare.gov, enroll by December 15. You have until January 15 before open enrollment ends, but selecting a plan after December 15 means it won't take effect until February 1.
Yes. I can help you find a nationwide PPO available in Alabama. On the marketplace, PPO plans were sold in 67 of Alabama's 67 counties in 2026. They come from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama.
Last checked October 5, 2026. I update this page when the 2027 plan list publishes in late October.
Call me with your county, the people who need coverage and the details of your notice. I'll compare the remaining Alabama marketplace plans with a nationwide PPO quote and help you decide before enrollment ends. I'm licensed in 36 states, and we can handle everything by phone.
Every state on the list, and guides for Alabama