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 2025 coverage starts on November 1, 2024 (in all states except Idaho) and ends on January 15, 2025 (in most states.) Some states offer later enrollment deadlines, so check your state’s Marketplace to confirm the deadline. 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.

Ten Things to Watch for 2025 ACA Open Enrollment

During this year’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) open enrollment period, premiums are increasing by about 4%, though the vast majority of enrollees won’t have to pay that increase due to enhanced subsidies from the Inflation Reduction Act. Other changes for 2025 include more insurers in many markets, new federal standards aimed at ensuring patients can get timely appointments, and stepped-up efforts to combat fraud.