The ACA marketplace, sometimes called the exchange or the Health Insurance Marketplace, is where you can buy health insurance plans for yourself and/or your family if you do not get health insurance through your employer. Created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and often called Obamacare, it is designed to allow people to more easily compare plans, find out if they qualify for subsidies or Medicaid, and enroll in coverage.

Maine’s marketplace is called CoverME.gov. Marketplace plans are grouped into “metal levels:” Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum, which offer different deductibles and levels of coverage based on your monthly premium and out-of-pocket costs.

Are you a Small Business? You can determine your eligibility to purchase a SHOP plan at CoverME.gov- we are the only carrier in Maine that offers tax credited health insurance coverage for your employees. You can purchase SHOP plans through our store front.

CoverME.gov is Maine's Health Insurance Marketplace. It is where people and small businesses in Maine can shop and buy health plans, along with finding out whether they qualify for MaineCare or financial assistance. Individuals and families can purchase a plan during annual Open Enrollment, Nov.1 through Jan. 15, or when they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. 

About 66% of enrollees qualify for financial savings. Depending on household income, household size and other factors, you could be eligible for:

• Premium tax credits to lower monthly payments
• Other savings to reduce costs when you get care

Our Member Services team is available to answer any questions and find the right plan for your unique needs: (855) 624-6463.

Being an Individual or Group Member depends on how you get your plan:

• Individual Members buy their health insurance for themselves and/or their family on CoverME.gov, through a health insurance website or through a broker, and pay a monthly premium to Community Health Options. This is common for people who are self-employed, freelancers, contractors or who do not have health insurance offered at work.  

• Group Members get their health insurance coverage at work from a plan offered by their employer. They may pay for a portion of their premium through a payroll deduction. For details about their plan, Group Members should contact their HR administrator or view their Member portal.

You can only change which health plan you have during specific times:

• Open Enrollment Period: This is the main time each year when you can sign up for or change your health plan. If you’re buying it on your own, you’ll have to sign up once a year. In Maine, Open Enrollment is usually from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15 for plans starting on Jan. 1, or by Jan. 15 for a plan starting Feb. 1. Open Enrollment can vary from state to state.

If you get your insurance at work, your employer will generally schedule a specific open enrollment period.

• Special Enrollment Period (SEP): When your life changes—like starting a new job, having a baby, getting married or divorced, losing other health coverage or moving to a new area, that’s called a “qualifying life event.”  In those cases, you can change your insurance or buy a new plan, whether you buy insurance on your own or get it at work.

If you experience a qualifying life event, like getting married/divorced, having a baby, losing other health coverage, or moving to a new area, you may be eligible to change or buy a new plan outside Open Enrollment. This is known as a Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Individual Members can call our Member Services team at (855) 624-6463 for help with your application, call your broker, or visit CoverME.gov if that’s where you bought your plan.

Group Members should contact their employer’s HR administrator for more information on making changes to your plan.

To view our current coverage options, visit the Explore Plans page to get started. If you are looking for an Individual or Family plan and want to find out if you qualify for financial assistance, visit CoverME.gov and search for Community Health Options to see our plans. Our Member Services team is always here to answer any questions at (855) 624-6463.

For Group Members, please contact your employer’s HR administrator for details on your specific plan option.

Yes! Advance Premium Tax Credits (APTC)—created under the Affordable Care Act—remain in place for 2027. In 2026, more than 66% of Mainers qualified, so there's a good chance you will, too. These tax credits lower your monthly premium payments based on your estimated household income and family size and are paid directly to your insurance company on your behalf each month.

Make sure to check if you qualify while you are shopping for a plan—especially if your income has changed. Want more details? Read our overview on health insurance tax credits in 2026.

Most Mainers do! Eligibility for APTC assistance depends on your expected household income and family size.

If you received credits last year, you'll likely still qualify unless your household income is over 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). If your income dropped, you’ll definitely want to check.

400% FPL is about:

• $132,000 for a family of four
• $86,560 for a couple
• $63,840 for a single person

For an estimate on your potential savings, use the KFF Health Insurance Subsidy Calculator.

Yes! We work with with Mending Health to offer integrated Direct Primary Care (DPC) benefits on select plans.  

Here is what that means for eligible Members: 

• DPC membership is included in your plan premium, so there are no separate monthly fees or copays for primary or behavioral health care visits.
• You get $0, unlimited PCP and behavioral health visits with Mending Health network providers, including longer appointments lasting up to 45 minutes, plus direct phone, text, or video access to your doctor.
• Your Mending Health direct primary care is fully backed by Community Health Options' broad provider network for specialty care, hospitalizations, labs and prescription coverage.

This benefit is available to Mainers in York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox, Waldo, Oxford, Franklin and Androscoggin counties.