Marketplace health insurance on F-1, OPT, J-1, H-1B or H-4: no more subsidies from 2027

Does being a resident alien for tax change the answer?

Tax residency does not matter here, because the rule asks about immigration status. Passing the substantial presence test makes you a resident alien for income tax, but not a green card holder.

So an H-1B worker who files Form 1040 as a resident gets no savings, just like a student on OPT who files Form 1040-NR.

Can you still buy a Marketplace plan on a visa?

You can still buy one, at full price. HealthCare.gov lists "Valid non-immigrant visas" as lawfully present and says "Other immigration statuses may be eligible for Marketplace coverage, but not savings."

The 2027 dates on HealthCare.gov:

After January 15, 2027 you can enroll only in a special enrollment period, such as after losing other coverage. States that run their own Marketplace may set other dates.

What about a 2026 Marketplace plan and your 2026 tax return?

The immigration-status rule starts with 2027 coverage, so it does not decide a plan you had in 2026. If advance payments of the credit were made for that plan, you need Form 8962 with your 2026 return.

The 2025 Instructions for Form 8962 say you "must file Form 8962 and attach it to your tax return (Form 1040, 1040-SR, or 1040-NR)." They add that a married person filing separately, as most married Form 1040-NR filers do, generally cannot take the credit and "must generally repay" the advance payments.

Other parts of the same law already apply to 2026, among them the end of the cap on repaying excess advance payments (section 71305, noted under IRC 36B). The 2026 instructions are not yet published. F1TaxReturn prepares Form 1040-NR and Form 8843 but not Form 8962, so ask a tax preparer before you file.

How do you cover the gap between a student plan and an OPT job?

Losing eligibility for a student health plan can open a 60-day Marketplace special enrollment period, before or after the loss. An employer plan may make you wait up to 90 days, so plan for the months in between.

1. Ask your school whether its student plan offers coverage after graduation.
2. Buy a Marketplace plan at full price under the special enrollment period. HealthCare.gov lists "You lose eligibility for a student health plan" and asks for "acceptable documents about losing coverage".
3. Read any short-term plan closely. CMS says it is "generally not subject to federal individual market consumer protections and requirements for comprehensive coverage", such as the ban on excluding pre-existing conditions.

If your cover was a private policy for international students, not your school's plan, ask HealthCare.gov whether its end counts.

Why is your employer's open enrollment the main route now?

Your employer's plan is now the main route to 2027 coverage, and what you choose at open enrollment generally holds for the whole plan year. Under the cafeteria plan rules, a plan may allow a change only after listed events, such as marriage, a birth or a change in employment.

If you skipped the employer plan for 2026 because a subsidized Marketplace plan cost less, compare again. The open enrollment checklist covers each election, and the 401(k) guide for OPT and H-1B covers the retirement side.

What if you lose an H-1B job: COBRA or the Marketplace?

COBRA lets you keep your employer's plan for up to 18 months, at up to 102% of its cost. It generally applies to employers with 20 or more employees and to state and local governments.

The Department of Labor's COBRA guide gives you at least 60 days to elect it, then at least 45 days for the first payment. Losing job coverage also opens a 60-day Marketplace window, at full price; dropping COBRA on your own does not.

After an H-1B job ends, the worker and their dependents may keep status for up to 60 consecutive days (8 CFR 214.1(l)(2)). It ends sooner if their authorized stay ends first, DHS may shorten it, and the worker may not work in it unless otherwise authorized. Ask an immigration attorney about your case, and if you leave, read leaving the US after H-1B.

What must a J-1's health plan cover?

A J-1 exchange visitor, on academic training too, must carry insurance meeting 22 CFR 62.14. That means $100,000 of medical benefits per accident or illness, $25,000 for repatriation, $50,000 for medical evacuation and a deductible of at most $500.

J-2 family members need the same amounts. A plan with a deductible above $500, or with no evacuation and repatriation cover, falls short, so check any employer or Marketplace plan against these figures with your sponsor.

A high-deductible health plan (HDHP) cannot meet the $500 cap: for 2027 its deductible must be at least $1,750 for self-only cover (IRS revenue procedure 2026-24).

What to do next

1. Enroll in your employer's 2027 plan by its own deadline.
2. For a Marketplace plan from January 1, choose it on HealthCare.gov by Tuesday, December 15, 2026.
3. If you graduate in 2027, ask your school when its plan ends, and mark 60 days on each side.
4. If you had a 2026 Marketplace plan with advance payments, keep your Form 1095-A and ask a preparer about Form 8962.
5. See what pre-tax premiums do to your pay in the take-home calculator.