Cigna and Molina are leaving Florida’s individual health insurance market, and their individual plans end on December 31, 2026. If you have one of these plans, or a Sunshine State Health Plan policy, pick a new 2027 plan yourself by December 15, 2026 so your coverage continues on January 1. If you wait, HealthCare.gov may assign you a replacement plan that doesn’t fit your doctors, prescriptions, or budget.
Key takeaways
- Leaving the market: Cigna Health & Life, Cigna HMO, Molina Healthcare of Florida, and Sunshine State Health Plan.
- These individual plans end at the end of 2026. You need a new plan for 2027.
- If you do nothing, HealthCare.gov may assign you a replacement plan. Sunshine State members will likely be mapped to Ambetter.
- Your deductible and out-of-pocket totals start over on January 1 with a new carrier.
- Enroll by December 15, 2026 for a January 1 start. Open Enrollment ends January 15, 2027.
Who is affected
According to ACA Signups’ summary of Florida’s 2027 filings, four carrier entities are leaving the Florida individual market:
| Exiting carrier | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Cigna Health & Life Insurance Co. | Individual plans end December 31, 2026. Cigna is leaving ACA marketplaces nationwide. |
| Cigna HMO | Individual HMO plans end. Cigna still sells employer and group products. |
| Molina Healthcare of Florida | Individual marketplace plans end. Molina still serves Medicaid. |
| Sunshine State Health Plan | Enrollees are likely to be mapped to Ambetter unless they choose another plan. |
Community Care Network (22 Health) is not leaving. If you have job-based Cigna coverage through an employer, this change doesn’t affect you. It applies only to individual and family plans bought on or off HealthCare.gov.
The auto-reassignment risk
When a plan is discontinued, HealthCare.gov generally tries to keep you covered by moving you into a replacement plan. That sounds convenient, but the plan is chosen by an algorithm, not by you. A replacement plan may:
- Use a narrower HMO network that leaves out your specialists in Orlando, Tampa, or Jacksonville
- Put your medications on a higher drug tier or leave them off the drug list
- Carry a higher premium after 2027 rate increases that average about 15.3%
- Have a higher deductible, with 2027 out-of-pocket maximums as high as $12,000 per person
HealthCare.gov’s renewal guidance encourages everyone to review their application and compare plans each year. For members whose carrier is leaving, that step is essential.
How to compare replacement plans
1. Start with your doctors and hospitals
Write down every doctor you see and the hospital you would want for surgery or an emergency, such as AdventHealth, Orlando Health, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Moffitt, or Baptist Health. Check each one in each carrier’s online directory, then confirm with the office. Network access varies by county. A plan that works in DeLand or elsewhere in Volusia County may have a different network in Hillsborough or Duval.
2. Check your prescriptions
Look up each drug on the plan’s formulary. Note the tier and whether it needs prior authorization. A cheaper plan can quickly cost more if a brand-name drug moves to a high tier.
3. Decide between HMO and PPO
If you want to see specialists without referrals or get care outside Florida, look at PPO options such as Florida Blue’s BlueOptions PPO, and compare them with HMOs such as myBlue. Our guide on choosing between an HMO, PPO, or high-deductible plan walks through the tradeoffs.
4. Compare the total annual cost
Carriers to compare for 2027 include Florida Blue, Ambetter from Sunshine Health, Oscar, UnitedHealthcare, AmeriHealth Caritas, AvMed, and 22 Health. For each plan, add 12 months of premiums to the deductible and the out-of-pocket maximum. If your household earns more than 400% of the federal poverty level (about $63,840 for a single person or $132,000 for a family of four), you get no subsidy for 2027, so you will pay the full premium difference.
Plan for the deductible reset
Deductibles and out-of-pocket totals start over on January 1. Because your new plan comes from a different carrier, nothing you paid under your Cigna or Molina plan carries over. If you have a procedure, imaging, or refills you can schedule, think about whether to do it before December 31 under your current plan. Ask your doctor for a referral and prior authorization early, because a new carrier may require its own.
Deadlines to put on your calendar
- November 1, 2026: Open Enrollment opens on HealthCare.gov.
- December 15, 2026: Choose a plan by this date for coverage starting January 1, 2027. This is the date to aim for.
- December 31, 2026: Cigna, Molina, and Sunshine State individual coverage ends.
- January 15, 2027: Open Enrollment closes. Plans chosen after December 15 start February 1.
HHS tried to shorten the Open Enrollment window, but a court blocked the change. HHS appealed, and CMS has confirmed the November 1 to January 15 dates for 2027. See HealthCare.gov’s dates and deadlines and our overview of enrollment period deadlines.
Why a broker helps when your carrier leaves
When your carrier leaves the market, you need to check doctors, drug lists, networks, and subsidies across several carriers at once. A local broker can run these comparisons in one appointment. A broker can also compare off-exchange plans, answer questions about private plans (medically underwritten plans may exclude pre-existing conditions and lack ACA protections), and help you finish enrollment before December 15. See which carriers Choice Health Insurance Brokers partners with, or learn more about our health insurance services in DeLand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cigna leaving the Florida individual health insurance market?
Yes. Cigna Health & Life and Cigna HMO are leaving Florida’s individual market after 2026. Cigna is exiting ACA marketplaces nationwide. It still offers employer and group coverage, but not individual marketplace plans for 2027.
What happens if I don’t pick a new plan after my carrier leaves?
HealthCare.gov will generally assign you a replacement plan. For Sunshine State Health Plan members, that is likely an Ambetter plan. A plan picked for you may not include your doctors or drugs, so it is better to choose one yourself by December 15.
Does my deductible carry over to a new carrier?
No. Deductibles and out-of-pocket totals start over on January 1 with your 2027 plan. Amounts you paid under your 2026 Cigna or Molina plan do not transfer to a new carrier.
Is Molina still available in Florida?
Molina Healthcare of Florida is leaving the individual market for 2027, but Molina still serves Medicaid. If you’re buying your own coverage, you will need a different carrier for 2027.
Talk to a Florida broker before you renew
If you’re a Cigna, Molina, or Sunshine State member, now is a good time to review your options, before the busiest weeks of Open Enrollment. Michael McAllister, owner of Choice Health Insurance Brokers in DeLand, is a licensed health insurance broker (NPN 18229135) with 10 years in business, appointed with 200 carriers and able to quote on- and off-exchange, public and private plans. There is no cost to use a broker for your enrollment. Call or text 321-230-9536 or visit choice.healthcare to book your 2027 plan review.