ACA Open Enrollment 2027: How Brokers Can Automate Follow-Up

Health insurance brokers can automate the routine part of ACA open enrollment follow-up. Each morning, a workflow compares every client's 2026 plan with the 2027 renewal. It flags discontinued plans and large premium increases for a review call, sends a personal reminder with a booking link, logs each contact and builds a call list. The licensed agent still reviews every plan with the client.

This post walks through the n8n workflow we built and recorded for this season. It includes ready-to-copy email, SMS and voicemail templates and explains how to get the free workflow template. Our insurance broker renewal workflow covers commercial and personal lines renewal preparation in general. This post deals only with the ACA Marketplace crunch between November 1 and January 15.

AI Automation for Insurance Brokers, Explained Step by Step | MakeItFlow · 3:16 Subscribe

What makes 2027 open enrollment different

The dates. On HealthCare.gov, open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. December 15 is the last day to enroll or change plans for coverage that starts January 1. States that run their own exchange can set their own dates, so check the deadline in each state you're licensed in before you load it into any reminder.

Higher premiums, smaller subsidies. According to KFF's guide to the 2027 open enrollment period:

• Benchmark silver premiums are rising 13% on average for 2027: 11% in HealthCare.gov states and 16% in states with their own platforms.
• The enhanced premium tax credits have expired, and people with incomes above 400% of the federal poverty level no longer qualify for premium tax credits.
• As of October 29, 2026, 11 insurers had announced exits from at least one state for 2027, and Cigna is leaving the individual market in all 11 states where it operates.

More clients than usual will need a conversation, not just an auto-renewal notice.

More scrutiny of brokers. In September 2026, CMS canceled Marketplace coverage for more than 760,000 people whose enrollments it called unauthorized. It also used an interim final rule to pause new agent and broker registrations on HealthCare.gov, Healthcare Dive reported. Brokers with active 2026 agreements weren't affected by the pause, but all existing agents had to re-verify their identities. On November 6, 2026, Healthcare Dive reported that a federal court in Maryland had blocked the moratorium after a challenge by broker groups. One of the plaintiffs said the fight was "far from over," so follow updates from CMS.

The consent and messaging rules your workflow must respect

CMS consumer consent. The 2024 Payment Notice requires agents and brokers to document a consumer's consent before helping with a Marketplace application, and to document the review of the application information. CMS's consent and application review FAQ states that this documentation must be kept for at least 10 years and produced to CMS on request for monitoring, audit and enforcement. A reminder email isn't consent, so keep the workflow's contact log alongside your consent records.

Text message consent. Under the TCPA, certain calls and texts may only be sent with the called party's prior express consent. The FCC's 2024 order (Federal Register, March 5, 2024) says consumers may revoke consent in any reasonable way. A reply of "stop," "quit," "end," "revoke," "opt out," "cancel" or "unsubscribe" counts as a reasonable way to revoke. Revocations must be honored within a reasonable time, no more than 10 business days. Senders may send one confirmation text after an opt-out. Some parts of that order have staggered or revised effective dates, so ask your compliance team which version applies to you. In practice, text only clients who agreed to receive texts, include "Reply STOP to opt out," and suppress anyone who opts out on every channel your consent records cover.

This is general information, not legal advice. Check the CMS agent and broker rules, your carrier agreements and your state's rules with your compliance team.

The open enrollment follow-up workflow, step by step

We built this in n8n and recorded a demo with fictional clients. The steps are named as they appear in the workflow.

1. Trigger: every morning at 8 AM. The workflow runs once a day throughout open enrollment.
2. Load 2027 renewals. It reads your CRM or a spreadsheet with each client's name, contact details, consent flags, 2026 plan and premium, and their 2027 renewal plan and premium. The demo uses fictional clients.
3. Compare 2026 vs 2027. For each client it calculates the premium change as a percentage and records a reason, such as "plan discontinued" or "premium up 18%." It sets needsCall to true if the plan is discontinued or the premium is up 10% or more.
4. Needs a review call? The workflow branches.
   • Yes → Draft email + SMS. A personal message that states the reason, mentions the December 15 deadline for January 1 coverage, includes a booking link and ends with "Reply STOP to opt out."
   • No → yearly check-in note. A lighter message inviting the client to confirm that their income, household and doctors haven't changed.
5. Add booking link → Log contact record. It inserts each client's booking link, then writes a timestamp, channel (email or SMS) and status to the contact log.
6. No reply in 3 days?
   • Yes → Broker call list. It adds the client's name, phone, reason and priority. Priority is HIGH if the plan is discontinued.
   • No → wait for booking. The client books a time and the agent takes over.

Use a working days calculator to set your last reminder date., leaving time to call non-responders before December 15. Tag each booking link with the UTM builder if you want to see whether bookings come from email or SMS.

What the automation does and what the licensed agent does

The automation never recommends a plan, estimates a subsidy or submits an application. It handles reminders, sorting and logging.

Ready-to-copy templates

Have a licensed agent and your compliance team approve these before use, and confirm the deadline for each state.

Email 1: premium increase

Subject: Your 2027 health plan renewal: let's review it together

Hi {first_name},

Your current plan, {plan_name}, is set to renew for 2027. The renewal information we have shows a premium change of {premium_change_pct} per month before any tax credit adjustments.

Your options may have changed too, so I'd like to go through them with you. If you use HealthCare.gov, the last day to choose a plan for coverage starting January 1 is December 15. Open enrollment ends January 15.

Book a 20-minute review here: {booking_link}

If your income, household or doctors have changed, please bring those details. I can't promise any price or subsidy until we review your application together.

{agent_name}, {agency_name}
{agent_phone}

Email 2: plan discontinued

Subject: Your plan {plan_name} won't be offered in 2027

Hi {first_name},

Your carrier has told us that {plan_name} will not be available for 2027. If you don't choose a new plan, you may be moved to a different one or your coverage may end, depending on your situation and your carrier.

I'd like to review the plans available in your area with you. If you use HealthCare.gov, choose a plan by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1.

Book a time here: {booking_link}
Or call me at {agent_phone}.

{agent_name}, {agency_name}

SMS 1: first reminder

Hi {first_name}, it's {agent_name} at {agency_name}. Your 2027 health plan renewal has changed. Let's review your options: {booking_link} Reply STOP to opt out.

SMS 2: final reminder before December 15

Hi {first_name}, {agent_name} here. A reminder that December 15 is the last day to pick a HealthCare.gov plan for coverage starting Jan 1. Book a review or call {agent_phone}: {booking_link} Reply STOP to opt out.

Voicemail script

Hi {first_name}, this is {agent_name} from {agency_name}. I'm calling about your 2027 health plan renewal. There's a change to {plan_name} that I'd like to go over with you. You can book a time using the link I sent by email, or call me back at {agent_phone}. Thanks.

Send email from an authenticated domain so these messages don't land in spam or look like phishing. Check SPF, DKIM and DMARC with the email deliverability checker.

Get the n8n workflow template

The free n8n workflow template is available on this page and on our insurance hub after you enter your email address. It's a JSON file that you import into n8n with Import from file. It comes with demo data, so you can run it and see each branch before connecting anything. Then replace the demo nodes with your own CRM or spreadsheet, email service and SMS provider, add your templates and booking links, and set your own threshold and reminder timing.

How to start small

1. Start with a spreadsheet. Export renewal data for 20 to 30 clients and run only the comparison step. Check the flagged list against your own judgment.
2. Turn on email only. Send the two approved emails to clients with consent to email, and log every send.
3. Add SMS once consent records are clean. Text only clients who agreed to texts, and test that a STOP reply suppresses them.
4. Add the call list for whoever makes calls each morning.
5. Review weekly. How many flagged clients booked a call? Were any opt-outs missed?

Risks and compliance checks

• Wrong data, wrong message. If the 2027 premium in your CRM doesn't match the carrier's notice, the reminder will be wrong. Spot-check before each batch.
• Misleading urgency. Mention real deadlines, not invented ones. Don't imply anyone will lose coverage when it isn't certain.
• Price promises. CMS's 2027 payment notice bans false claims of zero-dollar premiums, KFF notes. Keep subsidy talk out of automated messages.
• Consent gaps. Logging a contact doesn't create consent. Keep CMS consent records separate and complete.

For other agency workflows, see first notice of loss automation. Our free tools are on the tools page and need a free account.

Frequently asked questions

When is ACA open enrollment for 2027?

On HealthCare.gov, it runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Choose a plan by December 15 for coverage starting January 1. State-based exchanges can set different dates, so check your state's exchange.

What should an open enrollment reminder email include?

The client's name, their current plan, what has changed (premium or discontinuation), the real deadline, a way to book a review and the agent's contact details. Don't include guarantees about prices or subsidies. Have a licensed agent approve the template.

Can insurance agents send text message reminders?

Yes, if the client gave the consent the TCPA requires and the agent follows carrier and state rules. Include a way to opt out, such as "Reply STOP," and honor revocations promptly. FCC rules set a maximum of 10 business days.

How long do brokers have to keep ACA consent records?

CMS guidance says agents, brokers and web-brokers must keep documentation of consumer consent, and of the application review, for at least 10 years. They must produce it to CMS on request.

What is the best insurance broker CRM workflow for open enrollment?

A workflow that sorts renewals by how much they've changed, contacts clients early through approved messages, logs every contact and turns non-responders into a call list.

Can automation choose a health plan for my clients?

No. Automation can compare premiums, sort clients and send reminders. Reviewing options, checking eligibility and recommending a plan stay with the licensed agent.

Sources

• HealthCare.gov: Dates and deadlines for 2027 health insurance
• KFF: 9 things to watch for the 2027 ACA open enrollment period (November 6, 2026)
• Healthcare Dive: CMS freezes new ACA broker registrations for 2027 (September 23, 2026)
• Healthcare Dive: Judge sides with ACA brokers, lifts moratorium on new registrations (November 6, 2026)
• CMS: Frequently asked questions on consumer consent and application review requirements
• FCC Report and Order FCC 24-24, Federal Register, March 5, 2024 (revocation of consent under the TCPA)