The open enrollment period for your health insurance may vary depending on where you acquire coverage; nonetheless, it is often the only time you are able to get coverage. Many or all of the items shown here are from our partners who reward us. This might have an impact on the things we choose to write about, as well as where and how they are displayed on a page. Despite this, it does not affect how we evaluate the situation. Our opinions are entirely our own. You are permitted to begin, pause, or alter your participation in a health insurance plan during the open enrollment period, which occurs once annually.
Open enrollment for health insurance
| Plan type | Dates |
| Marketplace plans (Healthcare.gov and state exchanges) and individual plans | Nov. 1 to Dec. 15 |
| Employer-sponsored health insurance | Dates depend on your employer, but typically in the fall |
| Medicare | Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 |
| Medicaid | No date restrictions — you can apply at any time |
Open enrollment for federal and state marketplace plans
The open enrollment period for private individual health insurance lasts for a total of 45 days each year, beginning on November 1 and ending on December 15. There are four different avenues via which one may shop for individual health plans:- On the national marketplace or one of the state exchanges that may be accessed via Healthcare.gov.
- Over the phone by using the marketplace's toll-free customer service number, which is 1- 800-318-2596.
- Directly on the website of an insurance provider.
- Via way of a health insurance broker in the area.Outside of the time of open enrollment, the only method to acquire an individual health plan is to establish eligibility for a particular enrollment period. Premium tax credits are available, but only for privately purchased plans that are bought in a state or federal marketplace. Tax credits that may reduce your monthly rates are available exclusively on the federal marketplace Healthcare.gov or on a state exchange, so selecting either one of these options are highly recommended.
Open enrollment for health insurance provided by one's employer
If you choose down the health insurance coverage offered by your company, you can wind up paying a much higher premium for coverage elsewhere.
If your health insurance comes from an employer, the open enrollment period for the next year may be different from the one you had the previous year. Although the exact timing may be determined by a number of circumstances, selecting is often done in the autumn. If you do not like the plan that your company provides, you have the option to buy another one. But if you decide not to take the insurance offered by your company, you should be aware of the following:- You are not eligible for premium tax credits for a plan purchased via the marketplace unless the schedule provided by your employer does not satisfy basic requirements for coverage and cost. It's possible that you'll wind up paying a much higher total, given that companies often foot at least some of the expense.
