Understanding the Health Insurance Marketplaces
These resources are for anyone shopping (or helping someone shop) for health coverage within the health insurance marketplaces created through the Affordable Care Act (also known as the ACA or Obamacare.)
For healthcare.gov and in most state-run marketplace, the open enrollment period for 2024 coverage starts on November 1, 2023 and ends on January 16, 2024. (State marketplaces are allowed to extend the January 15 deadline to January 16 due to the federal holiday.) A few states offer later enrollment deadlines. Eligible people may also enroll in Medicaid at any point during the year and in marketplace coverage if they qualify for one of several special enrollment opportunities.
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FAQs: Health Insurance Marketplace and the ACA
This list of more than 300 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) covers the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance Marketplace (aka exchange), individual mandate, open enrollment, premiums and more. It provides answers to questions about specific groups, such as young adults, smokers, the uninsured, and non-traditional households. Updates include questions about enhanced tax credits authorized by ARPA and about new consumer protections against surprise medical bills.
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2024 Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator
The Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator provides estimates of 2024 health insurance premiums and subsidies for people purchasing their own insurance in the Marketplaces. Users can enter their age, income, zip code, and family size to check their eligibility for Marketplace subsidies or Medicaid and estimate their premium costs. The calculator reflects the premiums available in local markets and the impact of the enhanced tax credits available through 2026.
What to Watch in Open Enrollment
Even after a decade of operation, there continue to be changes in the Marketplaces. KFF’s new explainer highlights nine key changes and issues to watch in the 2024 open enrollment period, including a look at the impact of the 5% average rise in unsubsidized premiums as well as who will be affected by this year’s state-level policy changes and the new auto-reenrollment policy on Healthcare.gov.
