If you’ve been eagerly awaiting your chance to switch health plans or enroll in health coverage for the first time, now is your chance! The health insurance marketplace is open again from November 15, 2014 until February 15, 2014.

There are affordable health coverage options available in the marketplace and (if there hasn’t been a change in your income) you’ll be able to keep any coverage and financial assistance you may have right now. So keep calm and get covered. Here are some key dates and resources to help you find an affordable plan that works for you and your family. 

Dates

During these dates, you can visit healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596 to enroll in coverage or renew existing coverage.

• November 15, 2014: 2015 Open Enrollment starts
• December 15, 2014: Deadline to enroll/renew coverage that starts on January 1st (only 5 states have different deadlines).
• December 31, 2014: Coverage ends for 2014 Marketplace plans
• January 1, 2015: 2015 coverage can begin
• February 15, 2015: 2015 Open Enrollment ends

Note: You can apply for and enroll in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) any time of year. 

If you need to report a life change and/or renew your current health coverage

If you’re renewing your health coverage, you can explore new plan options and see if you’re eligible for new/different financial assistance. If you like your current health plan and your income or household size hasn’t changed—you don’t need to do anything. The marketplace will automatically renew your coverage!

Not sure if you should shop before renewing? Explore some of these resources to help you decide if you should shop first or if you need to report a change:

• Get Covered. Stay Covered
• We’re making it easy for you to keep your Marketplace coverage next year
• Did you sign up for health insurance last year?
• Ask 4 questions before renewing health coverage
• Reporting income changes to the health insurance marketplace (Includes a video tutorial!)
• Are Times a-Changin' in Your Life? Get Covered.

If you need to shop for new health coverage

If you’re applying for coverage for the first time, you need to visit healthcare.gov to create an account and compare your options to see if you’re eligible for financial assistance. If applying for the first time seems daunting, here are some resources (including a find local help tool) to help get you started:

• Countdown clock and primary websites/tools (in both English and Spanish) from RWJF 
• Understanding the Differences Between Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Plans
• Browse coverage options before you shop
• Marketplace Plan Comparison Worksheet
• Choosing the Health Plan that’s Right for You
• A one-page guide to the Health Insurance Marketplace
• Find Local Help
• This may not be Yelp, but these Obamacare reviews are worth reading

Additional resources on how to use coverage, eligibility, and more

• The Why the Affordable Care Act Matters for Women Factsheet that includes health insurance basics and answers to frequently asked questions.  
• Benefits of Health Insurance
• Affordable Care Act & Mixed-Status Families
• Overview of Immigrant Eligibility Policies & Application Process for Health Insurance Affordability Programs
• Health coverage for the self-employed and Health coverage options if you’re unemployed

If you still have questions or you want to share your experiences with health coverage, drop your questions or stories in the comments below or email us at healthbeat@momsrising.org.