Open enrollment is the time when you can enroll in a health insurance plan or make changes to your current health insurance plan.
What types of plans have open enrollment?
There are several types of health insurance plans that have open enrollment periods including:
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- Family and Individual Marketplace Plans (ACA)
- Employer-Sponsored Health Plans
When does open enrollment take place?
The dates of the open enrollment period vary depending on the type of plan. Medicare open enrollment is from October 15 to December 7 each year. Whereas you can enroll in Medicaid any time during the year. Marketplace and individual plans have open enrollment from November 1 to December 15. The open enrollment period for employer-sponsored plans depends on the plan’s renewal date but typically take place in the fall.
In addition, if you have a qualifying life event, like loss of coverage, birth of a child, or change of residence, you may be able to enroll in a plan outside of these open enrollment period.