Open enrollment is the time each year when you can purchase coverage in the individual market on a guaranteed-issue basis. This means that the insurance company cannot ask medical questions or turn  you down for a pre-existing condition.

Save the Date! Open enrollment is November 1 – December 15.

This is the time of the year that you can purchase a Marketplace plan through Healthcare.gov or an “off exchange” plan outside of the Marketplace.

What you should know about your options

• While open enrollment gives you the opportunity to purchase an individual major medical policy with no health questions, this may or may not be your best option.
• If you qualify for a premium tax credit, you should certainly consider purchasing a plan through the Marketplace during the open enrollment period.
• If you do not qualify for a premium tax credit but you have a pre-existing medical condition, you should consider an off-exchange plan during the open enrollment period.
• If you are healthy and are looking for more affordable coverage, a short-term plan may be a better option for you. The federal government is expected to expand the length of short-term plans to one year, and they do provide comprehensive coverage at an affordable price. Because these policies do not cover preventive care or pre-existing conditions, they are not considered minimum essential coverage to help you avoid an individual mandate penalty, but the penalty is going away in 2019 and should not be a factor in your decision during this year’s open enrollment period.
• If you own a small business, even a side business, you might qualify for group health coverage. Employer-sponsored plans are often less expensive than individual major medical policies, cover pre-existing conditions, and can begin any month of the year.
• If you are a student, or if you want to take a college course, you might qualify for a student health plan. These policies are often much less expensive than an individual health plan.