Reference · Updated 2026-09-15

Medicare and health insurance open enrollment dates

Every window that decides when you can enroll or switch, in one place. Bookmark it, and confirm any deadline on the official site before you rely on it.

Medicare enrollment windows

Medicare is federal, so these dates are the same in every state.

Window	When	What you can do
Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)	7 months: the 3 months before your 65th birthday month, your birthday month, and the 3 months after	First chance to enroll in Part A, Part B, a Medicare Advantage plan, or a Part D drug plan.
Medigap open enrollment	6 months starting the month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B	Buy any Medicare Supplement plan sold in your state with no health questions. After it ends, carriers can underwrite in most states.
Annual Enrollment Period (AEP)	October 15 – December 7, every year	Join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Changes start January 1.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment (MA OEP)	January 1 – March 31, every year	If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, make one switch to another MA plan or back to Original Medicare (with a Part D plan).
General Enrollment Period	January 1 – March 31, every year	Sign up for Part A and/or Part B if you missed your IEP and have no special enrollment right. Coverage starts the month after you enroll; late penalties may apply.
Special Enrollment Periods	Varies by event, often 2 months	Moving, losing employer coverage, plan changes, and other events give you a window outside AEP. A 5-star plan can be joined once per year at any time.

ACA marketplace open enrollment by state

Where you enroll and when the window closes depends on whether your state uses HealthCare.gov or runs its own marketplace. Federal deadlines for upcoming plan years have been the subject of rule changes, so treat these as the schedule used through the most recent open enrollment and verify before a deadline.

States with their own marketplace

State	Marketplace	Open enrollment
Arkansas	Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace	November 1 – January 15
California	Covered California	November 1 – January 31
Colorado	Connect for Health Colorado	November 1 – January 15
Connecticut	Access Health CT	October 23 – January 15
District of Columbia	DC Health Link	November 1 – January 31
Georgia	Georgia Access	November 1 – January 15
Idaho	Your Health Idaho	October 15 – December 15
Illinois	Get Covered Illinois	November 1 – January 15
Kentucky	kynect	November 1 – January 15
Maine	CoverME.gov	November 1 – January 15
Maryland	Maryland Health Connection	November 1 – January 15
Massachusetts	Massachusetts Health Connector	October 23 – January 23
Minnesota	MNsure	November 1 – January 15
Nevada	Nevada Health Link	November 1 – January 15
New Jersey	Get Covered New Jersey	November 1 – January 31
New Mexico	beWellnm	November 1 – January 15
New York	NY State of Health	November 1 – January 31
Oregon	Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace (Explore Health)	November 1 – January 15
Pennsylvania	Pennie	November 1 – January 15
Rhode Island	HealthSource RI	November 1 – January 31
Vermont	Vermont Health Connect	November 1 – December 28
Virginia	Virginia's Insurance Marketplace	November 1 – January 29
Washington	Washington Healthplanfinder	November 1 – January 15

States using HealthCare.gov

Open enrollment on HealthCare.gov has run November 1 through January 15 in recent years. Enroll by December 15 for coverage starting January 1.

Special enrollment: when you can enroll any time of year

A qualifying life event opens a Special Enrollment Period on the marketplace, usually 60 days from the event. The most common events are losing job-based or other coverage, moving to a new area, getting married or divorced, having or adopting a child, and gaining citizenship. Some states and income levels qualify for enrollment year-round, and Medicaid and CHIP are always open.

Medicare has its own special enrollment rights, most importantly the 8-month window after employer coverage ends for people who worked past 65. Missing it can mean a permanent Part B premium penalty, which is why we recommend talking to a licensed agent before your 65th birthday even if you plan to keep working.

Read the full list of qualifying life events and the documents you need.

Enrollment date questions

What is the difference between Medicare AEP and Medicare Advantage OEP?

AEP (October 15 to December 7) is open to everyone with Medicare and allows any number of changes, with the last one counting. The Medicare Advantage OEP (January 1 to March 31) is only for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan and allows one change.

When does ACA marketplace open enrollment start?

On HealthCare.gov, open enrollment has opened November 1 in recent years. The closing date and state-run marketplace dates can differ, and federal rules for future years have been changing, so confirm the current deadline on your marketplace's website or with a licensed agent before you rely on it.

Can I enroll outside open enrollment?

Only with a qualifying life event, which opens a Special Enrollment Period, usually 60 days. Losing coverage, moving, marriage, a new child, and certain income changes are the most common events. Medicaid and CHIP enrollment is open all year.

What if I keep working past 65?

If you have coverage from an employer with 20 or more employees, you can usually delay Part B without penalty and get an 8-month Special Enrollment Period when that coverage ends. Talk to your benefits office and a licensed agent before your 65th birthday to avoid a costly mistake.

Related guides

Medicare

Deadline coming up? Talk to a licensed agent this week.

Tell us your state and what you need. We show you one licensed agent, and nothing is sent until you confirm. Free, no obligation.

Get matched, free