When Is Open Enrollment for Health Insurance?
For Marketplace (ACA) plans, open enrollment runs November 1 through January 15 in most states, with coverage effective January 1 for plans selected by December 15. Employer-sponsored plan open enrollment varies by company but typically occurs in October or November. Medicare open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7. Missing your window means waiting until next year unless a special enrollment event applies.
What Changes Can You Make During Open Enrollment?
During open enrollment you can enroll in a plan for the first time, switch to a different plan tier or carrier, add or remove dependents from coverage, and elect or change supplemental benefits like dental, vision, FSA, or disability coverage. It is also a good time to review your coverage needs — a life change in the past year might mean a current plan may no longer be the most suitable fit.
What Is a Special Enrollment Period?
A Special Enrollment Period (SEP) allows you to make insurance changes outside of open enrollment when a qualifying life event occurs. Qualifying events include losing job-based coverage, getting married or divorced, having a baby or adopting, moving to a new coverage area, and gaining or losing eligibility for Medicaid. You typically have 60 days from the qualifying event to act on a Special Enrollment Period.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I miss open enrollment?
If you miss your employer's open enrollment deadline, you're generally locked into your current plan (or without coverage if you were newly eligible) until the next open enrollment unless a qualifying life event triggers a Special Enrollment Period. For Marketplace plans, missing open enrollment means waiting until November unless you have a qualifying SEP event.
Do I need to actively re-enroll each year?
It depends on your plan. Marketplace plans auto-enroll you in the same or a similar plan if you don't make an active selection during open enrollment. However, it's strongly advisable to actively review and re-enroll each year, as your plan may change, better options may be available, and your subsidy eligibility may have shifted based on income changes.