Individual and family plan enrollment important dates

It is hard to believe that 2013 is almost over, and the last day to enroll in an individual and family insurance plan with a January 1, 2014 effective date has passed. With all the news around the Affordable Care Act deadlines of December 15 and subsequent extension to the 23rd, there is still time to enroll in an insurance plan for 2014. The annual enrollment period for the 2014 plan year has been extended through March 31. The cut off for each month’s enrollment is the 15th of the month. So if you enroll by on January 15th, your coverage date will start on February 1st. But if you wait to enroll on January 16th, your coverage will not begin until March 1st. If you wait to enroll on March 31st, your coverage will not start until May 1st.

As I mentioned the enrollment period has been extended for the 2014 plan year. Unless you qualify for a special election period, after March 31st you will not be able to enroll in a individual and family plan in 2014. The next time you will be able to change and/or enroll in individual and family plans will be from October 15th through December 7th with coverage starting on January 1st, of the following year.