What You Need to Know About ACA Open Enrollment

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance open enrollment is wrapping up today, but there's still time to get covered if you're quick! This year has seen a record number of people signing up, proving that health insurance is more important than ever. This open enrollment started all the way back in November, giving everyone a two-and-a-half month window to either get new coverage or switch their existing plan. Outside of this period, you can only get or change ACA coverage if you have a significant life event, like moving or getting married. So far, over 24 million people have signed up, which is a big deal considering that half of Americans still rely on job-based health insurance. To enroll, you need to be living in the US, be a citizen or lawfully present noncitizen, and not be in jail. People with Medicare can't sign up for Marketplace plans. If you meet these criteria, you can visit Healthcare. gov to create an account and start the process. Some states have their own Marketplace websites, but most can do it directly through Healthcare. gov. One important thing to note is that signing up by December 18 means you get coverage starting from January 1. If you sign up later, you have to wait until February 1. So, don't miss out on getting the insurance you need!