Open enrollment – also known as annual enrollment – is a time each year when health plans allow members to enroll in a new plan or make changes to their existing coverage for the upcoming year. Occurring each fall – typically in November – it’s the main time to sign up for health insurance, either through an employer or in the health insurance marketplace.
This toolkit is designed to help individuals make informed decisions for the 2025-2026 coverage year.
When is the open enrollment period?
Open enrollment dates depend on how people get their health insurance. Whether that be through an employer, the individual marketplace on healthcare.gov or through Medicare, here is what the open enrollment window looks like for everyone:
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- Coverage through Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace plans on healthcare.gov: Nov. 1, 2025 to Jan. 15, 2026, in most states.
- Coverage through plans offered by work: Employers will set this open enrollment period. Human resource departments will have specific dates for each employer, typically in the fall.
- Coverage through a Medicare plan: Medicare’s annual enrollment period is from Oct. 15, 2025 to Dec. 7, 2025. Initial enrollment in a Medicare plan occurs when an individual turns 65.
What are the different plan options offered during open enrollment?
There are four health insurance plan categories: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Catastrophic plans. These categories break down how the individual and the plan share costs. Plan categories have nothing to do with quality of care.
Whether individuals stick with the plan they had last year or prepare to choose a new plan, it’s important to evaluate these plans and their network types, how they differ and what best fits each person’s needs.