Cigna Special Enrollment Periods (and What the 2027 ACA Exit Means)

Important: On April 30, 2026, The Cigna Group announced it will exit the ACA individual marketplace effective January 1, 2027. Cigna individual and family medical plans are still active for the rest of 2026, but they will not renew into 2027. If you are considering a Cigna marketplace plan through a Special Enrollment Period right now, read the 2027 section below first.

What a Special Enrollment Period is

A Special Enrollment Period (SEP) lets you enroll in or change a marketplace health plan outside the annual Open Enrollment window, after a qualifying life event. In most cases you have 60 days from the date of the event to pick a plan. Miss that window and you generally have to wait for Open Enrollment.

Common qualifying events include:

• Losing other health coverage (job loss, aging off a parent's plan, losing Medicaid or CHIP, a plan being discontinued)
• Moving to a new ZIP code or county with different plan options
• Getting married or divorced
• Having a baby, adopting, or placing a child in foster care
• A change in income or household size that affects your subsidy eligibility
• Gaining citizenship or lawful presence

For the full rules and the documents you may need to prove eligibility, see What is the Special Enrollment Period (SEP)?

Where Cigna offers individual plans in 2026

For the 2026 plan year, Cigna Healthcare offers individual and family medical plans on the marketplace in 11 states:

Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Availability is set at the county level, so Cigna may not be offered everywhere within those states. Check your specific ZIP code before assuming a Cigna plan is an option.

What the 2027 exit means for you

Cigna is leaving the individual ACA exchanges in all 11 states as of January 1, 2027. Roughly 369,000 members nationwide are affected. Two situations to plan for:

• You already have a Cigna marketplace plan. Your coverage runs through the end of 2026. You will need to select a different carrier for 2027. Watch for the discontinuation notice from Cigna, and choose a new plan during Open Enrollment so you do not have a gap on January 1. A plan being discontinued is itself a qualifying event, which gives you an SEP if you miss the Open Enrollment window.
• You are shopping now through an SEP. You can still enroll in a Cigna plan for the remainder of 2026, but you will have to switch carriers a few months later. If another carrier in your area is a reasonable fit, picking it now may save you a second round of paperwork and a possible change of doctors mid-treatment.

This announcement covers Cigna's ACA marketplace medical plans. If you have a Cigna dental, vision or supplemental product, confirm that plan's status separately, since those are different product lines.

How to enroll or switch

Compare what is actually available in your ZIP code before you commit to a carrier. We are an independent agency and can quote every carrier in your area, not just one.

• Call or text (312) 726-6565
• Email help@ihealthagents.com
• Current Cigna customers can also call the number on the back of their member ID card, or log in at myCigna.com, for questions about existing benefits and claims.

Carrier participation, plan availability and pricing change year to year and are subject to regulatory approval. Verify current details for your county before enrolling.