When Is Open Enrollment for Health Insurance?
In most states, open enrollment in 2024 starts on Nov. 1, 2024, and ends on Jan. 15, 2025.
- If you go through certain life events, like moving or having a baby, you can sign up for marketplace coverage at any time of the year. You may be eligible for a special enrollment period if you've moved, lost other insurance, recently gotten married or divorced, had a child, lost your job or if your income has dramatically changed.
- During open enrollment, you'll usually need to sign up by Dec. 15, 2024, to get coverage for Jan. 1, 2025. Comparing quotes is usually the best way to save on coverage because plan options change each year.
- Open enrollment will likely be shorter in 2026. Open enrollment dates are changing starting next year. In 2026, open enrollment on HealthCare.gov will be between Nov. 1 and Dec. 15. State marketplaces have some flexibility with their dates, but they can't extend their open enrollment past Dec. 31. However, things may still change before the fall of 2026 and the open enrollment dates could be different.
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When is health insurance open enrollment in 2024-2025?
Open enrollment in 2024 begins Nov. 1, 2024 and ends on Jan. 15, 2025.
This is when you can buy health insurance from the ACA marketplace or your state's exchange.
If you have insurance through your job, called group health insurance, your employer decides when you can enroll or make changes to your policy.
Health insurance open enrollment dates by state
State | Open enrollment period | Where you shop |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Nov. 1, 2024 – Jan. 15, 2025 | HealthCare.gov |
| Alaska | Nov. 1, 2024 – Jan. 15, 2025 | HealthCare.gov |
| Arizona | Nov. 1, 2024 – Jan. 15, 2025 | HealthCare.gov |
| Arkansas | Nov. 1, 2024 – Jan. 15, 2025 | HealthCare.gov |
| California | Nov. 1, 2024 – Jan. 31, 2025 (renewals begin Oct. 1) | Covered California |
2024 dates came from HealthCare.gov and state health marketplaces.
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How to get health insurance in 2024 when it's not open enrollment
If you need Affordable Care Act health insurance outside of open enrollment, you have to qualify for a special enrollment period .
Moving, changes in household size or health coverage loss are examples of what are called qualifying life events. These let you buy or change your health plan.
The federal government is removing the option to let people with low incomes sign up for health insurance at any time. You'll have to meet at least one of the other qualifications, like moving or having a baby. Previously, you could sign up for health insurance through HealthCare.gov or your state marketplace any time during the year if you earned less than about $22,000 per year (roughly $45,000 for a family of four).
If you get insurance during a special enrollment period, your health insurance coverage usually starts the first of the month after you choose a plan.
When you sign up determines your coverage start date
You'll usually need to sign up for medical insurance by Dec. 15 to have coverage that begins in the new year. So if your current policy ends on Dec. 31, you'll need to sign up for a plan by Dec. 15 to avoid a gap in your coverage.
When you enroll | When your coverage begins |
|---|---|
| On or before Dec. 15, 2024 | Jan. 1, 2025 |
| Between Dec. 16, 2024 and Jan. 15, 2025 | Feb. 1, 2025 |
Starting in 2026, any plan purchased during open enrollment will start Jan. 1, no matter when you sign up.
Some states have different dates for health insurance open enrollment.
California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C., have extended open enrollment periods.
In contrast, Idaho starts and ends its open enrollment period earlier than other states. Where you live also determines whether you use HealthCare.gov or a state marketplace to sign up for health insurance in 2024.
Georgia Access: A new state marketplace for 2025
Starting with open enrollment for 2025, Georgia residents can buy health plans through Georgia Access, the state's new health insurance marketplace.
Other open enrollment schedules
The open enrollment dates above are only for private health insurance plans bought through the ACA marketplace. Other types of health insurance have different enrollment schedules.
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Medicare: Medicare open enrollment in 2024 runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, 2024.
- Employer health insurance: Your employer sets open enrollment dates if you have health insurance through your job.
2024 health insurance changes
Several important changes have happened in the health insurance marketplace for the 2024 open enrollment period.
- Special enrollment for losing Medicaid and CHIP: If you lose coverage through Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), you can get marketplace coverage outside of open enrollment. HealthCare.gov and state health exchanges let you get coverage up to 60 days before or up to 90 days after losing Medicaid or CHIP coverage.
- Avoiding coverage gaps: If you know you'll lose your health insurance at a future date, you can start your plan sooner to avoid a gap when you don't have insurance.
Some changes have to do with re-enrolling in the same health plan.
- Bronze-to-Silver crosswalk policies: If you currently have a Bronze-level plan but you qualify for extra discounts, called cost-sharing reductions, on a Silver plan, you might get re-enrolled in a Silver plan instead. The Silver plan can't cost more than your Bronze plan. Also, the Silver plan needs to have the same network of doctors. In other words, you may automatically get better coverage for the same or a lower price.
- Losing extra savings: If you no longer qualify for cost-sharing reductions, you can enroll in a cheaper Bronze, Silver or Gold plan.
- Similar network of doctors: If your current health plan is no longer available, you can choose a different policy or let your insurance company find a new plan with a similar doctor network.
You can get free help enrolling in marketplace coverage starting with the 2024 open enrollment period.
Trained professionals, called Navigators and Assisters, are available to educate you about health insurance plans and help you sign up for coverage. To get help, enter your city and state or ZIP code on HealthCare.gov. If you live in a state with its own marketplace, you'll get redirected to your state-specific website.
It's important to check the "assisters" filter. Otherwise, local health insurance brokers and agents will also appear in your search results.
Is health insurance required in 2024?
On a federal level, health insurance isn't required. However, some states have different rules.
In the past, you had to buy a qualifying health insurance policy or pay a fee, called the individual mandate. But, as of 2018, the mandate no longer applies to most Americans.
California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C., have state-level mandates. Residents of those states will pay a fine if they don't have health insurance.
Even though there is no federal mandate, it's important to have health insurance to avoid massive costs if you get sick or hurt. Without health insurance, you could end up wiping out a savings account or going into medical debt. Some Americans also put off helpful preventive care if they don't have health insurance. This can lead to worse health issues down the road.
Health insurance protects both your physical and financial health.
Open enrollment changes in 2026
Open enrollment will likely be shorter in 2026.
Unless something changes within the next year, most people will have to buy a marketplace plan by Dec. 15, 2026 or they won't be able to get one unless they qualify to shop at another time of year. States that use their own marketplace can extend their open enrollment to Dec. 31. Even with the extra time, that's still shorter than the current open enrollment period.
The shorter window is part of a bundle of potential changes CMS says is going to "reduce consumer confusion, align more closely with open enrollment dates for many employer-based health plans, encourage continuous coverage" and lower the risk that only people who are sick or need medical care buy plans.
During the 2024 open enrollment period, which ran from Nov. 1, 2023 to Jan. 15, 2024, 1,010,536 people signed up for a plan in the last month of open enrollment. That's about 4.7% of the total enrollment that year.
People in Colorado, New Mexico and West Virginia were the most likely to use the last month of open enrollment for 2024 plans. In those states, more than 9% of people who got an Affordable Care Act (ACA) plan did it between Dec. 17 and Jan. 16.
In Texas, nearly 200,000 people got coverage between Dec. 17, 2023 and Jan. 16, 2024. In Florida, 177,356 people signed up in the last month of open enrollment.
How many people signed up in the last month of open enrollment?
State | # of people | % of total enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| National | 1,010,536 | 4.7% |
| Alabama | 25,052 | 6.5% |
| Alaska | 891 | 3.2% |
| Arizona | 22,552 | 6.5% |
| Arkansas | 11,590 | 7.4% |
Data indicates the number people in each state that signed up for coverage between Dec. 17, 2023, and Jan. 16, 2024.
What to do now to prepare for 2026 open enrollment
If you expect to get coverage from HealthCare.gov or a state marketplace in 2026, you might want to mark your calendars now. You may need to shop for and buy a new health plan between Nov. 1 and Dec. 15 this year, instead of having until Jan. 15 to buy coverage. If you live in a state that has its own marketplace site, you might have until Dec. 31 to get coverage. But these dates could still change, so keep an eye on the news leading up to open enrollment in 2026.
If you miss the window, you should check to see if you can get health insurance at other times of year. There are certain life events, like having a baby or moving, that let you get health insurance outside of open enrollment. This is called a "special enrollment period."
Frequently asked questions
When is open enrollment for health insurance in 2024?
In most states, you can sign up for health insurance between Nov. 1 and Jan. 15. If you have health insurance through your job, check with your employer to find out your open enrollment dates.
What happens if I miss the HealthCare.gov deadline?
You can get coverage after open enrollment if you qualify for a special enrollment period by having a baby, getting married, moving or losing your current health insurance.
If you have a low income, some programs, like Medicaid and CHIP, are available at any time.
What is the deadline for Obamacare in 2024?
If you want your coverage to start on January 1, you have to sign up by Dec. 15 in most states. If you enroll between Dec. 16 and Jan. 15, your coverage will start on Feb. 1.
Sources and methodology
Open enrollment dates and regulations are based on information from HealthCare.gov and state marketplace sites. Information about 2024 changes to Affordable Care Act plans comes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Data about the potential impact of the shortened open enrollment window comes from a CMS dataset for 2024 open enrollment.
Editorial note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.
