ACA Open Enrollment
Your Annual Window to Get Covered
Open Enrollment is the one time each year when anyone can enroll in or change an ACA Marketplace health plan — no health questions asked, no waiting period. Miss it and you'll wait another year unless a life event qualifies you for a Special Enrollment Period.
Key Dates
Open Enrollment timeline for 2026 coverage
November 1, 2025
Open Enrollment Begins
The earliest you can enroll in or change a 2026 Marketplace plan. Plans purchased today are effective January 1, 2026.
Add to CalendarDecember 15, 2025
Enroll for Jan 1 Coverage
Deadline to enroll or make changes if you want coverage to begin January 1, 2026.
Add to CalendarJanuary 15, 2026
Open Enrollment Ends
Final day to enroll. Coverage from a plan selected between Dec 16 and Jan 15 begins February 1, 2026.
Add to CalendarFebruary 1, 2026
Latest Coverage Start
Coverage start date for anyone who enrolls between December 16 and January 15.
Add to CalendarBe Prepared
What to gather before you enroll
- Social Security numbers for everyone in your household
- Estimated household income for the upcoming year (all sources)
- Current health insurance information (if any)
- List of doctors and hospitals you want to keep in-network
- List of prescriptions — generic name and dosage
- Any qualifying life event documentation (if applying for a Special Enrollment Period)
- Immigration documents (if applicable)
- Employer coverage information (if applicable — needed to confirm you don't have affordable employer coverage)
Enrollment Steps
How the enrollment process works
Estimate your income
Your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) for the upcoming calendar year determines your subsidy amount. Include wages, self-employment, Social Security, and other taxable income.
Compare plans
Review Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum plans available in your zip code. Consider premiums, deductibles, copays, out-of-pocket maximums, and — critically — whether your doctors and hospital are in-network.
Apply your subsidy
The Marketplace calculates your premium tax credit based on your income and household size. Apply it as an advance payment to reduce your monthly premium immediately.
Enroll and pay
Once you select a plan, you must pay your first month's premium to activate coverage. The plan is not active until the first payment is received.
All the windows
Every enrollment window, at a glance
Open Enrollment is the main window, but not the only one — see where each fits.
Medicare's key enrollment windows
When you can enroll or switch plans
Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)
7 months around your 65th birthday
Starts 3 months before your birthday month, includes it, and runs 3 months after.
General Enrollment Period
Jan 1 – Mar 31 each year
For those who missed their IEP; coverage begins the month after you enroll.
Medicare Open Enrollment (AEP)
Oct 15 – Dec 7 each year
Join, switch, or drop Medicare Advantage and Part D plans; changes take effect Jan 1.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment
Jan 1 – Mar 31 each year
If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, make one change.
Source: Medicare.gov enrollment periods (Initial, General, and Open Enrollment).
Important Tips
Don't just auto-renew — review every year
Many people let their coverage auto-renew each year without reviewing it. This is a costly mistake. Each year:
Your income, household size, or subsidy eligibility may have changed.
The insurer may have changed your plan's network, dropping your doctor or local hospital.
Better plans may be available at a lower cost.
Your current plan may have been discontinued or replaced with a different plan at a different price.
Taking 30 minutes to compare plans during Open Enrollment can save hundreds of dollars per year.
Outside Open Enrollment
What happens if you miss the deadline
If you miss Open Enrollment without a qualifying life event, you cannot purchase Marketplace coverage until the following year's Open Enrollment. You may have these options in the meantime:
Short-term health plans
Not ACA-compliant; can deny coverage for pre-existing conditions; premiums not subsidized. Useful only as a very short bridge.
Medicaid
If your income is below 138% FPL (Utah) or 100% FPL (Wyoming), you may qualify for Medicaid year-round — no enrollment period needed.
CHIP
Children's Health Insurance Program is open year-round for eligible children regardless of Open Enrollment timing.
Special Enrollment Period
Certain life events — job loss, marriage, birth, moving — trigger a 60-day window to enroll outside Open Enrollment. See our Special Enrollment Period page for full details.
Don't wait until the last minute
Open Enrollment is your chance to get the best plan at the lowest subsidized cost. We'll compare every option in your area, apply your subsidy, and make sure you're enrolled before the deadline.
Already decided on a plan? Self-enroll on HealthSherpa →