Tuesday, Jan. 16 is the last day in most states to sign up for health insurance coverage, or make changes to current coverage, under the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as "Obamacare."
The open enrollment deadline was extended a day since Jan. 15 is a federal holiday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
There are some states, like Colorado and Nevada, that have not added the one-day extension for the federal holiday, and therefore their deadline is Monday. Other states, such as California and New York, have a later deadline for enrollment.
Once the Jan. 16 deadline passes, there are some cases, like a life change or change in income, that can qualify you for a special enrollment period.
Open enrollment began on Nov. 1 and, once selected, new coverage will begin on Feb. 1. For those who selected a plan by Dec. 15, coverage should have begun on Jan. 1, according to HealthCare.gov.
Anyone living in the U.S. who is not currently incarcerated and not signed up through Medicare is eligible to make an account on HealthCare.gov and select a health insurance plan from the online marketplace.
All of the health insurance plans on HealthCare.gov include coverage for pre-existing conditions and essential benefits including prescription drugs, emergency services, hospitalization, laboratory services and mental health and substance use disorder services, according to the website.
Some 20 million people have already signed up for health insurance this year through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, a record-breaking figure. The latest enrollment projections mean a quarter more Americans have signed up for coverage this year compared to last year.
Some of the millions of new enrollees have only turned to the marketplace because they have been booted off Medicaid, the nearly-free health care coverage offered to Americans with the lowest incomes or disabilities.
Roughly 14.5 million people were recently kicked off Medicaid after the federal government lifted a 3-year ban that barred states from removing ineligible people from the government-sponsored health insurance.
As open enrollment begins, expect higher premiums in 2024
Whether covered by employer-based insurance or under the Affordable Care Act, Americans may find their premiums going up after open enrollment.
