2018 Individual Health Insurance Open Enrollment Dates Updated – Important updates issued for open enrollment and special enrollment time frames starting with 2018 individual health insurance plan year and beyond.
The DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES has just updated Final Rules for Open enrollment and Special Enrollment Periods starting for the 2018 plan year, and there are some important changes.
The most important update is to the open enrollment period, which will now be only 45 days long. The 2018 Open Enrollment period will start on Nov 1, 2017 and conclude on Dec 15, 2017 for coverage starting Jan 1, 2018. This will be the ONLY time to enroll in a plan for 2018 other than a qualifying special enrollment period. There will also be increased scrutiny of special enrollment periods and increased verification of all special enrollment applications to cut down on potential misuse and abuse of this enrollment option.
All of these steps are being done to promote stability in the individual insurance markets and to increase the incentives for individuals to maintain enrollment in health coverage while decreasing the incentives for individuals to enroll only after they discover they require medical services.
For a full reading of the new rule, please go to:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/04/18/2017-07712/patient-protection-and-affordable-care-act-market-stabilization