Health insurance enrollment

Health insurance enrollment means you officially sign up for a health insurance plan through sources like Healthcare.Gov or your employer. Open enrollment periods, such as November 1 to January 15 on Healthcare.Gov, define when you can enroll in or change plans.

Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs) permit mid-year sign-ups if life events occur, including marriage, birth, or loss of coverage. Required documents for enrollment typically include proof of identity, Social Security numbers, and income verification forms like W-2s.

You must complete the application and submit payment before coverage begins. Missing open enrollment means you usually need a qualifying event, such as divorce or job loss, to enroll outside regular windows, based on a report from YourInsurance.info.

Health insurance exchanges like Covered California and New York State of Health handle public plan enrollments in those states. Medicaid and CHIP enrollment remains open year-round for low-income individuals meeting eligibility thresholds; for example, children under 19 in Texas qualify if family income is below $29,160 (2024).

Dependent coverage requires submitting documentation–birth certificates for children or marriage certificates for spouses–with your application. Automatic re-enrollment may apply to some employer-based plans but often excludes subsidy updates unless you act.

Employer-sponsored plan enrollment windows generally last 14–30 days per year and require timely paperwork completion to secure benefits.