Judge Lifts CMS Freeze on ACA Marketplace Broker Registrations

A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland ruled Nov. 5 in favor of the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals, lifting CMS' freeze on new ACA marketplace broker registrations. The moratorium, implemented Sept. 22, had blocked roughly 19,000 agents and brokers not registered for 2026 from registering for 2027 and was set to run through Feb. 1, 2027. CMS said the freeze was part of a broader fraud crackdown, which included canceling 2026 ACA policies covering 760,000 people and addressed an estimated $1.5 billion to $6.6 billion in annual improper federal spending tied to broker noncompliance. The ruling immediately lifts the restrictions, with training for newly eligible agents and brokers set to begin Nov. 6, during the ACA's open enrollment period that began Nov. 1.