Health Insurance Enrollment Periods 101: What You Need to Know
Navigating health insurance can feel overwhelming—especially when it comes to understanding when you can enroll or make changes to your coverage. Missing an important deadline could mean waiting months before you can get the coverage you need.
The good news? Once you understand the different enrollment periods, the process becomes much simpler.
In this guide, we’ll break down the most common health insurance enrollment periods and explain what they mean for you and your family.
What Is an Enrollment Period?
An enrollment period is a specific timeframe during which you can:
- Enroll in a health insurance plan
- Change your current coverage
- Drop or renew your plan
Outside of these windows, you generally cannot make changes unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
The main enrollment periods include:
- Open Enrollment Period (OEP)
- Special Enrollment Period (SEP)
- Employer-Sponsored Enrollment
- Medicare Enrollment Periods
- Medicaid & CHIP Enrollment
1. Open Enrollment Period (OEP)
The Open Enrollment Period is the annual window when individuals and families can enroll in or change Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace health insurance plans.
Typical Dates
In most states, Open Enrollment runs from: