Affordable Cares Act (ACA) - Marketplace
About the Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, referred to as the Affordable Care Act or “ACA” for short, is the comprehensive health care reform law enacted in March 2010.
The law has 3 primary goals:
- Make affordable health insurance available to more people. The law provides consumers with subsidies (“premium tax credits”) that lower costs for households with incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL).
- Expand the Medicaid program to cover all adults with income below 138% of the FPL. Not all states have expanded their Medicaid programs.
- Support innovative medical care delivery methods designed to lower the costs of health care generally.
Tips about the Health Insurance Marketplace
If you don't have health insurance through a job, Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or another source that provides qualifying health coverage, you can find coverage through the Marketplace.Who can get Marketplace coverage?
1. Open Enrollment is November 1 - January 15
- Enroll by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1
- Enroll by January 15 for coverage that starts February 1
2. Outside the yearly Open Enrollment, you can get coverage or change plans only if you:
- Have a life change that qualifies for a Special Enrollment Period.
- Qualify for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). You can enroll any time of year and coverage can start immediately.
3. Check if you qualify for savings
Depending on your expected household income for the year, you may qualify for:
- Lower costs for your Marketplace plan, like the premium tax credit that lowers your monthly plan premium, and for extra savings on out-of-pocket costs like deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance.
- Coverage through Medicaid or CHIP. Your children may qualify for CHIP, even if you don't qualify for Medicaid.
Are you eligible to use the Marketplace?
To be eligible to enroll in health coverage through the Marketplace, you must:
- Live in the United States (U.S).
- Be a U.S. citizen or national, or be lawfully present non-citizen in the U.S.
- Not be incarcerated.
When can you get health insurance?
Notice: Get health coverage now if you qualify for:
- A Special Enrollment Period due to a life event, like moving, losing other coverage, getting married, or having a baby.
- Free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
- November 1: Open Enrollment starts — first day you can enroll in, renew, or change health plans through the Marketplace for the coming year. Coverage can start as soon as January 1.
- December 15: Last day to enroll in or change plans for coverage to start January 1.
- January 1: Coverage starts for those who enroll in or change plans by December 15 and pay their first premium.
- January 15: Open Enrollment ends — last day to enroll in or change Marketplace health plans for the year. After this date, you can enroll in or change plans only if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
- February 1: Coverage starts for those who enroll in or change plans December 16 through January 15 and pay their first premium.
Get coverage between January 16 and October 31 if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period due to a life event. You can apply for free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) at any time.
