When Can I Enroll in Health Insurance?

One of the most common questions I get is some version of: "Can I even sign up for health insurance right now?" The honest answer is: it depends on the calendar and on your life circumstances. Here's how enrollment actually works.

Open Enrollment

Open Enrollment is the one guaranteed window each year when anyone can enroll in or change a Marketplace health plan, no questions asked. It typically runs in the late fall through mid-winter, though exact dates can shift from year to year. If you miss it and don't have a qualifying life event, you'll generally need to wait until the next Open Enrollment to get Marketplace coverage.

Special Enrollment Periods

Outside of Open Enrollment, you can still enroll if you experience a qualifying life event. This typically opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period. Common qualifying events include:

• Losing job-based health coverage
• Getting married or divorced
• Permanently moving to a new area
• Turning 26 and aging off a parent's plan
• A change in income that affects your subsidy eligibility

If one of these applies to you, you generally have 60 days from the event to enroll, so it's worth acting quickly rather than waiting.

Medicaid and CHIP

If your household income qualifies, you can apply for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) at any time of year, there's no enrollment window restriction.

Private and short-term plans

Private health insurance and short-term medical plans are available to shop and enroll in year-round, with no Open Enrollment or qualifying event required. That makes them a common option for people who miss Open Enrollment and don't qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.