Tampa, Florida, United States – October 15, 2026 – Open Enrollment for 2027 health coverage begins November 1, 2026. Ryan Michalek, founder of Michalek Health Solutions, an independent health and life insurance brokerage in Tampa licensed in 31 states, is asking families, freelancers and small business owners who buy their own coverage to look at their 2027 numbers before last year’s plan renews on its own.
In states that use the federal Health Insurance Marketplace, Florida included, the window runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. To have coverage start January 1, 2027, people need to enroll by December 15, 2026. States that run their own exchange can set their own dates, so residents of those states should confirm their deadline.
“When you work for yourself, nobody from HR sends the reminder,” Michalek said. “A renewal notice is a prompt to re-shop, not an instruction to accept the increase. Look before November, not during it, and you get to make the call calm instead of rushed.”
Health plans re-price every plan year. The premium, the deductible, the out-of-pocket maximum and the network can all change at renewal, and the plan that fit best last year isn’t automatically the best fit this year. Letting a plan auto-renew means keeping it without seeing what changed.
Before Open Enrollment opens, Michalek walks clients through five checks:
“Sometimes keeping your current plan is the right call, and I’ll tell you so,” Michalek said. “What I don’t want is anybody finding out in January what changed in November.”
For people who buy their own coverage, Michalek Health Solutions compares options across many insurers, and there is no fee to the client; the agency is paid by the carriers. Private under-65 plans can often be applied for outside the Open Enrollment window, but many are medically underwritten, so approval isn’t automatic.
Michalek’s guides cover the 2027 dates in more detail, what to do when a premium goes up at renewal, and how to map options before a call:
Disclosure
Ryan Michalek is a licensed health and life insurance agent, NPN 21043091. Michalek Health Solutions is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency or the federal Health Insurance Marketplace. This release is an advertisement for insurance. It is not an offer or guarantee of coverage. Plan availability, benefits and rates vary by state and individual eligibility.
About Michalek Health Solutions
Michalek Health Solutions is an independent health and life insurance brokerage based in Tampa, Florida, founded by Ryan Michalek and licensed across 31 states (NPN 21043091). It is an independent, one-person practice that has grown largely through client referrals, specializing in private under-65 health coverage for the self-employed, families, and small business owners, with no fee to the client.
Media ContactCompany Name: Michalek Health SolutionsContact Person: Ryan MichalekEmail: Send EmailPhone: (813) 833-7448Address:5701 E Hillsborough Ave Ste 1202 City: TampaState: FloridaCountry: United StatesWebsite: https://michalekhealthsolutions.com