Open Enrollment for ACA Healthcare coverage is closing soon! The deadlines and unfortunate penalties are all listed here.
The Open Enrollment period for 2015 coverage is November 15, 2014 to February 15, 2015.
If you haven’t enrolled in 2015 coverage by February 15, you generally can’t buy Marketplace health coverage for 2015 unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
Deadlines if you have 2014 coverage
- If you’re enrolled in a 2014 Marketplace plan, your coverage ends December 31, 2014. This is true no matter when your 2014 coverage began.
- To continue health coverage in 2015, you can renew your current health plan or choose a new plan through the Marketplace until February 15, 2015.
- You can change plans any time until February 15, even if you were automatically enrolled in a plan and that coverage has already begun. Change plans by the 15th of the month and your coverage begins the first day of the next month.
2015 enrollment and coverage start dates
During 2015 Open Enrollment, if you enroll or change plans:
- Between the 1st and 15th days of the month, your coverage starts the first day of the next month.
- Between the 16th and the last day of the month, your coverage starts the first day of the second following month. So if you enroll on January 16, your coverage starts on March 1.
- Between February 1, 2015 and the deadline of February 15, 2015, your 2015 coverage begins March 1, 2015.
You can enroll in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) any time of year.
If you own or operate a small business, you can start offering coverage to your employees any time.
If you don’t enroll in 2015 coverage
If you don’t have health coverage during 2015, you may have to pay a penalty. The fee in 2015 is higher than it was for 2014 — 2% of your income or $325 per adult/$162.50 per child, whichever is more.
