Indiana shoppers face new ID checks and costs in ACA open enrollment

Open enrollment for Affordable Care Act health insurance begins Nov. 1 in most states.

Shoppers in Indiana will face new rules aimed at reducing fraud, alongside changes to subsidies and premium costs. These changes include stricter identity verification for some consumers and limits on which brokers can assist with enrollment.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that consumers using agents or brokers in the federal marketplace must obtain a one-time confirmation code to authorize their representative. This code is sent via text, email, or automated phone call. Consumers with outdated contact information must update their details directly on healthcare.gov before they can proceed.

Additional identity checks apply to what CMS defines as high-risk applicants. This group includes first-time applicants, people changing states, those switching agents, and consumers paying monthly premiums of $30 or less. These individuals must verify their identity through a third-party service like Experian. If they fail this check, they may need to upload identification documents such as a driver's license or passport directly to the marketplace.

Joshua Brooker, an insurance agency owner in Pennsylvania, noted that these measures target potential impersonation by brokers. He warned that up to one in five consumers may face extra identity proofing, which could cause some to delay or skip enrollment entirely.

A new rule also restricts brokers who were not registered with the federal marketplace in 2026. These agents cannot assist with 2027 enrollments until February at the earliest. CMS issued this moratorium because newly registered agents accounted for a large share of compliance concerns in 2026. The National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals filed a lawsuit against the administration on Oct. 15, arguing the rule unfairly targets 19,000 new agents.

Premiums for 2027 are expected to rise by approximately 15%, a slight decrease from the 26% average increase seen last year. Subsidies remain available for most households, though they are less generous than the enhanced subsidies that expired at the end of 2025. Subsidy eligibility is income-based, cutting off for households earning more than four times the federal poverty rate. For a single person, that threshold is $63,840.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act also changes eligibility for lawfully present immigrants. Groups such as H-1B visa holders, refugees, and asylees will lose subsidy eligibility. Green-card holders and citizens of specific Pacific Island nations can still receive subsidies.

Stacey Pogue, a senior research fellow at the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University, advised consumers to reach out to brokers early. With fewer agents available to assist, appointment slots may fill quickly. She noted that while the new rules target fraud, they also create additional hurdles for legitimate shoppers.

Louise Norris, a health policy analyst, suggested that consumers compare plans rather than allowing automatic renewal. Premiums and coverage details can change annually, and new insurers may offer lower costs. The out-of-pocket maximum for ACA plans will rise 13% in 2027, reaching $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for families. This cap limits how much consumers pay for deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance before the insurance covers remaining in-network costs.