The Indiana Department of Insurance wants Hoosiers to know they have another opportunity to enroll in health insurance on the Federal Affordable Care Act Exchanges (HealthCare.gov) if they missed enrolling in the fall. The 2021 regular open enrollment period ended on December 15, 2020. The new opportunity to purchase health insurance follows the executive order signed by President Biden on January 28 to reopen enrollment on the Federal Marketplace. The special enrollment period is February 15 to May 15.
Starting February 15, Hoosiers seeking to take advantage of this Special Enrollment period can find out if they are eligible by visiting HealthCare.gov. If eligible, you can enroll and select a plan with coverage that starts the first of the month after plan selection. The premium must be paid by the 15th of the month after plan selection for coverage to start on the first of the next month. If the premium is paid between the 16th and the end of the month, coverage will start on the first of the month after next. You will have 30 days after submitting your application to choose a plan.
Current enrollees will be able to change to any available plan in their area without restriction to the same level of coverage as their current plan. During the Special Enrollment Period, current enrollees will need to go through their application and make any needed changes to their current information, then submit their application to receive an updated eligibility result to continue on to enrollment. To learn more, check out the CMS Fact Sheet.
Indiana Navigators can assist you with the process of applying for health insurance on the Federal Marketplace. Indiana Navigators are certified with the Indiana Department of Insurance and are located in counties across the state. Find a Navigator near you.
You also may choose to work with a local insurance agent or agency. You can verify if an agent or agency is licensed in Indiana on the Indiana Department of Insurance website.
