01November 1
Open Enrollment opens
Plans and prices for the coming year are published and you can enroll or switch. This is also when current members should compare, because plans change every year.
The calendar
Open Enrollment: November 1 to January 15.
Those are the dates in most states. Missing them means waiting a year unless a life event opens a window, so it is worth knowing which deadline applies where you live.
December 15 is the date most people needIn most states, enrolling by December 15 means coverage starting January 1. Enroll after that and coverage typically begins February 1, which leaves a month uncovered.
Key dates
The marketplace year, in four moments.
02December 15
Deadline for January 1 coverage
In most states, enrolling by this date means your coverage starts on January 1. This is the date to work backward from if you cannot afford a gap.
03January 15
Open Enrollment closes in most states
Enroll between December 16 and January 15 and coverage typically starts February 1. After the window closes you need a qualifying life event.
04All year
Medicaid, CHIP, and life events
Medicaid and CHIP accept applications any time. A qualifying life event opens a Special Enrollment Period, and you generally have 60 days from the event to pick a plan.
Outside the window
Qualifying life events that open a Special Enrollment Period.
You generally have 60 days from the event to enroll, and the marketplace may ask for documentation.
- Losing other coverage, including job-based coverage, a parent plan at 26, Medicaid, or CHIP. Voluntarily dropping coverage does not count.
- Moving to a new home in a different ZIP code or county where different plans are available, if you had coverage before the move.
- Getting married, getting divorced or legally separated and losing coverage as a result.
- Having a baby, adopting a child, or placing a child in foster care.
- A change in income that changes your eligibility for savings, or gaining lawfully present status or citizenship.
- Leaving incarceration, or other circumstances the marketplace recognizes, such as an enrollment error or a serious plan violation.
Before the deadline
Six things to do while the window is open.
Renewing without looking is the most common and most expensive habit in marketplace coverage, because plans change and your savings are recalculated from whatever income information the marketplace has on file.
- Read the notice your current insurer sends about next year premium, deductible, and network changes.
- Do not assume auto re-enrollment is the best outcome. If your plan is discontinued or repriced, the marketplace may move you to a similar plan that is not the best fit for you.
- Update your household and income estimate for the coming year so your savings are calculated on current information.
- Re-check your doctors and prescriptions against next year plan documents, since networks and drug lists change at the plan year boundary.
- If you want January 1 coverage, finish by the December 15 deadline in most states.
- Pay the first premium once you enroll, because that is what makes the coverage active.
At a glance
The dates, in one place.
- Open Enrollment begins in most states
- Nov 1
- usual deadline for January 1 coverage
- Dec 15
- Open Enrollment ends in most states
- Jan 15
- Special Enrollment Period after a qualifying event
- 60 days
Good to know
Questions people ask about the dates.
Do all states use the same dates?
No. November 1 through January 15 applies in most states, including every state that uses HealthCare.gov. Several states run their own marketplace and set their own dates, and some of those run later than January 15. Check your state deadline rather than relying on the national one.
What if I miss Open Enrollment entirely?
You can enroll only with a qualifying life event, which opens a Special Enrollment Period of generally 60 days. Medicaid and CHIP have no enrollment window, so if your household income might qualify, apply at any time. Otherwise the next Open Enrollment is your opportunity.
Will I be enrolled automatically if I do nothing?
Usually yes, if your plan is still offered, and the marketplace will pick something similar if it is not. That convenience has a cost: your savings are recalculated on old income information and your new plan may have a different network or drug list. Comparing actively takes far less time than fixing it in February.
Does a Special Enrollment Period require proof?
Often yes. The marketplace may ask for documents confirming the event, such as a letter showing when your prior coverage ended or proof of a move. Submit them promptly, because coverage can be delayed or ended if the documents are not provided in time.
Can I switch plans mid-year if I just do not like mine?
Generally no. Dissatisfaction is not a qualifying life event. That is the practical reason to check the deductible, the out-of-pocket maximum, the network, and the drug list before you enroll rather than after.
Do not miss it
See the dates and plans for your state.
Enter your ZIP code to find your deadline and compare the marketplace plans available to you.