2019 Open Enrollment Runs from November 1 through December 15, 2018
Plans sold during Open Enrollment start January 1, 2019. After December 15, consumers can enroll in 2019 health insurance only if they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
Federal Health Insurance Exchange 2019 Open Enrollment (CMS press release with information and resources)
Some Resources for Consumers:
- 6 Common Open Enrollment Mistakes and How to Avoid Them (TIME, 10/29/18)
- What to Watch Out for During Open Enrollment (CNBC, 10/27/18)
- The Ins and Outs of High-Deductible Health Care Plans (Minn. Public Radio, 49-minute audio story, 10/29/18)
- Short-Term Plans Resource: A palm card designed by the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative to inform consumers about the pitfalls of short-term limited duration health plans.
- Health Plan Comparison Worksheet: A worksheet created by Cover Missouri to adequately compare health plans available on and off of the ACA marketplace.
Resources for Assisters:
The 2019 Assister Readiness Webinar Series is a supplement to the 2019 web-based Assister Certification Training, and is intended for assisters operating in the Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM), but assisters operating in State-Based Marketplaces that use the Federal Platform (SBM-FPs) may also find the Week 2, Week 3, and Week 4 modules helpful. The series will be delivered in weekly installments, each of which will include several on-demand educational modules, and a corresponding LIVE Friday webinar that will recap the week’s topics and give participants a chance to ask questions. To receive invitations to the live webinars and notifications when new material is posted, email ASSISTERLISTSERV@cms.hhs.gov with “Add to listserv” as the subject. Module/Webinar topics by week:
- Week 1- Assister Roles and Responsibilities
- Week 2- 2019 Individual Marketplace Overview – Register.
- Week 3- Helping Consumers Apply and Enroll in Coverage
- Week 4- Making Coverage Accessible
Other Resources for Assisters:
- Marketplace Assister Training Resources
- Technical Assistance Resources
- CMS Marketplace Applications & Forms
- CMS Outreach and Education Resources
- Marketplace.CMS.gov Page
- CMSzONE Community Online Resource Library Pilot for Marketplace Assisters
- Find Local Help
Health Insurance Marketplace Call Center: 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325). For customer service support, to start or finish an application, compare plans, enroll or ask a question. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Closed Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day.
CACs and Navigators should call their dedicated phone lines so the Call Center can better track the needs of assisters. The Assister Line can also help with password resets and can help with access to non-application SEPs. Contact your Navigator Project Officer (for Navigators) or your designated organization leadership (for CACs) for more information on the Assister Line.
- Navigator Marketplace Call Center line: 1-855-868-4678
- CAC Marketplace Call Center line: 1-855-879-2683
SHOP Call Center: For customer service support, including assisting employers and employees apply for and enroll in SHOP. 1-800-706-7893 (TTY: 711). Available M-F 9:00 am-5:00 pm EST. Closed New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and Christmas.
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