The 2023 Open Enrollment Period (OEP) for Healthcare.gov and many of the state based marketplaces* ends on January 15th.**
After 11:59PM on 1/15/2023, the ease of getting health insurance coverage from the individual marketplace disappears. You will need a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) such as divorce or birth, a big move or a loss of coverage to be able to get an ACA policy at the end of the month and for the rest of the year.
For people who were enrolled last year and who did not make an active choice in December, you were automatically re-enrolled in a policy. The system is to put you into a plan that is as close as possible. However, the combination of a plan’s premium changing and the introduction of other plans could result in very large net premium swings for folks who get subsidized. You should look at your plan ASAP and make changes if you were automatically re-enrolled into something that you don’t like.
Ask questions in comments.
* Idaho is weird. Their OEP ended on 12/15/2022
** A couple of states go to January 31, 2023.
narya
Quick question: employment ended 12/31, but employer is covering January. When should I register for coverage starting February 1? I know I am eligible because it’s a qualifying event, but I don’t know whether there’s a timing issue. And it’s only for five months, because I’m Medicare-eligible in July. (This is going to be the Year of Government Forms, I suspect.)
David Anderson
@narya: Go sign up now. Coverage picked in the first 2 weeks of January starts on February 1st.
Butch
We enrolled early in the process, got the “completed” notice, and have received our first bill for the new policy, but we’re still getting “deadline is coming up” reminders to enroll by e-mail. It makes me a little worried.
David Anderson
@Butch: The e-mail notification system acts funky (I don’t think the actually enrolled and the e-mail blast list manager actually talk to each other)
Butch
@David Anderson: That was my hope. Thanks!