The 2020 Open Enrollment Period runs from Friday, November 1 to Sunday, December 15, 2019.
Open Enrollment for the 2020 Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare) healthcare plans begins November 1, 2019.
Open Enrollment is the first day you can enroll, re-enroll, or change a 2020 insurance plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Coverage can start as soon as January 1, 2020.
You can preview 2020 plans and prices now and complete your enrollment starting tomorrow, November 1.
The 2020 Open Enrollment Period runs from Friday, November 1 to Sunday, December 15, 2019.
What is open enrollment?
Open enrollment is a period of time each year when you can shop for and enroll in a health insurance plan. You can also change or cancel your current coverage during the open enrollment period.
Prior to 2014, you could enroll year-round for health insurance but you would generally need to submit to medical underwriting and could be denied coverage if you had pre-existing conditions. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), you cannot be denied coverage when you apply during the open enrollment period.
In most states, open enrollment for 2020 coverage runs from November 1st to December 15th, 2019. State-run exchanges may have more flexible open enrollment periods. Find the marketplace in your state.
If you miss the open enrollment period, you won’t be able to enroll in a plan unless you have a qualifying event that triggers a special enrollment period. Examples include getting married, having a baby, or losing employer-sponsored coverage.
If you’ve previously had employer-sponsored health insurance or have been covered by a family healthcare plan, you may not be familiar with open enrollment. However, if you need to buy your own health insurance this year, open enrollment is an important time period to pay attention.
Even if you have an existing individual health insurance plan, you don’t want to ignore the open enrollment period. Let’s take a look at what open enrollment is, why it’s important, and when it happens each year.
How to shop for health insurance during open enrollment
Coverage for plans sold during open enrollment will begin on January 1, 2020. Since open enrollment ends December 15th, you won’t be able to change coverage in January if you’re surprised by a premium increase. It’s important to shop around each year during open enrollment to make sure you’re still getting the best deal.
For most states, you’ll sign up for health coverage at Healthcare.gov. If this will be your first time using the marketplace, you’ll need to fill out an application.
Once you’ve finished your application, you can begin shopping for a plan. There are four types of health insurance plans: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.