Apply by December 15 for a January 1 Start Date
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Key enrollment dates
- Medicare Annual Enrollment (AEP)
- October 15 – December 7
- Changes take effect January 1.
- ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment
- November 1 – January 15
- Extended window for late enrollment.
- January 1 effective date
- Apply by December 15
- Enroll or change plans by Dec 15 for coverage starting Jan 1.
- Late ACA enrollment
- December 16 – January 15
- Coverage starts February 1 instead.
Get free enrollment help before the deadline
Free review with a licensed Texas agent based in Katy. We'll tell you honestly if the ACA is still your best fit.
How the effective dates work
The Marketplace uses fixed effective dates during open enrollment:
- Apply November 1 – December 15 → coverage starts January 1
- Apply December 16 – January 15 → coverage starts February 1
- After January 15 → enrollment closed unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period
Don't leave January uncovered
The most common mistake we see is waiting until the Christmas week to start an application. Document verification, income questions and carrier processing can take days. If anything is missing, your January 1 start slips to February 1.
Start your application in November or early December and the January 1 date is easy to hit.
Beat the deadline — book your free review
Free review with a licensed Texas agent based in Katy. We'll tell you honestly if the ACA is still your best fit.
A reminder about who belongs on the Marketplace
If your income is lower, or you need pre-existing conditions covered, an ACA Marketplace plan — also called Obamacare or simply the Marketplace — is your only real option. It is the only coverage that must accept you regardless of health history and the only coverage that comes with income-based premium tax credits.
Frequently asked questions
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Related guides
Not sure which deadline applies to you? Let's look together.
Free review with a licensed Texas agent based in Katy. We'll tell you honestly if the ACA is still your best fit.
*Some ACA plans in some areas have a small one-time enrollment fee due to little or no broker compensation. Agency enrollment fees never apply to Medicare products.