Final 2026 Open Enrollment Report: Broker/Agent Assistance (Part 10)

Key Takeaways

• 78% of enrollees used broker or agent assistance.
• Data covers only 30 federal exchange states.
• Assistance rates range from 10% Hawaii to 86% Florida.
• New and renewal enrollees show similar assistance percentages.
• Navigators and CACs complement private broker services.

Summary

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released its first dataset showing how many ACA Open Enrollment participants received help from certified brokers, agents, or other assisters. The data, limited to the 30 states that use the federal HealthCare.gov exchange, reveals that 78% of enrollees were assisted by a private broker or agent, with state rates ranging from 10% in Hawaii to 86% in Florida. The report also breaks down assistance by enrollment type—new, active renewal, and auto‑renewal—showing little variation across these categories. While navigator and Certified Application Counselor programs remain active, private assistance dominates the enrollment experience.

Pulse Analysis

The latest CMS public use file marks a watershed moment for health‑insurance market intelligence, finally quantifying the impact of private brokers and agents on ACA enrollment. By focusing on the 30 states that operate under the federal HealthCare.gov platform, the report sidesteps the data vacuum in state‑run exchanges but still offers a robust snapshot of consumer behavior. Analysts can now correlate broker‑driven enrollment spikes with demographic trends, premium subsidies, and regional outreach efforts, adding a new layer of granularity to market forecasts.

Private assistance dominates the enrollment journey, with 78% of participants turning to brokers or agents for guidance. This reliance varies dramatically by geography—Florida’s 86% assistance rate suggests a mature broker network, while Hawaii’s modest 10% points to either stronger navigator programs or lower market penetration. The consistency across new sign‑ups, active renewals, and auto‑renewals indicates that once consumers engage a broker, they tend to stay within that relationship, reinforcing the broker’s role as a long‑term advisor rather than a seasonal facilitator. Insurers and policymakers must recognize that broker incentives, commission structures, and compliance requirements directly shape enrollment outcomes.

Looking ahead, the partial nature of the data—excluding the 20 state‑run exchanges—means the national picture remains incomplete. However, the clear signal that private assistance drives the majority of enrollments suggests future policy discussions will center on broker regulation, consumer protection, and the balance between public navigators and private intermediaries. Stakeholders should monitor upcoming CMS releases for broader coverage and consider integrating broker performance metrics into their strategic planning to optimize enrollment efficiency and maintain compliance across the evolving ACA landscape.