Quick answer: No. HealthSherpa is an enrollment platform built for HealthCare.gov states, and New York runs its own state-based marketplace. If you live in New York, your Qualified Health Plan, Essential Plan, Medicaid, or Child Health Plus enrollment completes on NY State of Health — you can compare plans anywhere, but the application itself finishes on the state's system.
Citation-ready summary: New York operates a state-based health insurance marketplace, so HealthSherpa cannot complete New York enrollments; Qualified Health Plan, Essential Plan, Medicaid, and Child Health Plus applications finish on NY State of Health at nystateofhealth.ny.gov.
Last reviewed: July 6, 2026.
Why HealthSherpa can't finish a New York enrollment
HealthSherpa is an enrollment platform for states that use HealthCare.gov, the federal marketplace: there, it lets consumers and producers quote and submit applications in one place. That is why so many New Yorkers search for "HealthSherpa NY State of Health" — the tool works in much of the country, so it feels like it should work everywhere.
New York is one of the exceptions. The state built and operates its own exchange, NY State of Health, instead of using HealthCare.gov. Applications, eligibility determinations, subsidy calculations, and plan selections for New York all run through the state's system. A comparison tool can still be useful for research, but the enrollment of record — the application that actually puts you in a plan — happens on NY State of Health.
The practical takeaway: if anyone says they can fully enroll you in a New York marketplace plan without NY State of Health, ask more questions before sharing personal information.
What NY State of Health actually covers
NY State of Health is more than a place to buy private plans. One application screens your household across several programs:
| Program | What it is | When you can enroll |
|---|---|---|
| Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) | Private ACA-compliant plans in metal tiers, with financial help for those who qualify | Open enrollment, or within 60 days of a qualifying life event |
| Essential Plan | New York's low-cost coverage program for qualifying adults | Year-round for those who qualify |
| Medicaid | Coverage for eligible lower-income New Yorkers | Year-round for those who qualify |
| Child Health Plus (CHIP) | Coverage for children in eligible households | Year-round for those who qualify |
That screening step matters. Many New Yorkers who start out shopping for a QHP discover they qualify for the Essential Plan instead — see our guide to Essential Plan eligibility in New York. Because eligibility rules and income thresholds change, use NY State of Health's own tools to check where your household lands rather than relying on figures you find elsewhere.
How broker and assistor help works with NYSOH
NY State of Health has its own training process for the brokers, navigators, and enrollment assistors who work inside its system. Licensed producer support, where applicable, can still be genuinely useful — a good producer helps you compare networks, drug coverage, and total expected costs before you apply.
What that help looks like in practice:
- Comparison can happen anywhere. Quoting tools, side-by-side spreadsheets, and phone walkthroughs are all fair game for research.
- Enrollment happens on NY State of Health. The producer either assists you inside the marketplace's system or guides you while you complete the application yourself.
- Verify the helper. Confirm a broker's or assistor's status with NY State of Health directly, and if anyone wants to charge you a fee to submit a marketplace application, check with the marketplace first.
The right compare-then-enroll flow for New Yorkers
- Gather the basics — household size, expected income, current doctors, and prescriptions.
- Compare with a framework, not a sales pitch. Check whether your doctors are in-network, whether your medications are covered, and what the deductible and out-of-pocket maximum mean for your actual usage. Our New York health insurance overview walks through this.
- Screen for programs first. Before fixating on a QHP, let NY State of Health check whether your household qualifies for the Essential Plan, Medicaid, or Child Health Plus.
- Complete the application on NY State of Health — online, by phone, or with an assistor or broker who works with the marketplace.
- Confirm with the carrier that your enrollment is active and your first payment (if required) is processed.
Key dates to watch for 2027 coverage
Federal rules adopted in 2025 shortened open enrollment nationwide. For 2027 coverage, marketplaces must open by November 1, 2026 and close no later than December 31, 2026. NY State of Health has not yet published its exact 2027 open enrollment dates — check nystateofhealth.ny.gov before assuming a deadline.
Outside open enrollment, you generally have 60 days after a qualifying life event — losing job-based coverage, moving, getting married, having a baby — to enroll through a special enrollment period. If that's your situation, our guide to health insurance after job loss in NY and PA covers the steps. And the Essential Plan, Medicaid, and Child Health Plus enroll year-round for those who qualify, so a missed deadline doesn't always mean waiting a year.
Sources
If you'd like a plain-English, side-by-side comparison before you enroll on NY State of Health, use the contact form on this site and we'll connect you with licensed producer support where applicable. Availability, eligibility, pricing, and enrollment support depend on the state, carrier, plan year, and licensed producer involved — verify current details with the official marketplace before enrolling.