ACCESS TO 2024 ACA HEALTH PLANS
Federal and state rules limit your access to ACA “qualified” individual/family comprehensive medical insurance plans covering pre-existing conditions. These health plans are only available for you to enroll during government-authorized periods.
ANNUAL OPEN ENROLLMENT – The annual national OPEN Enrollment for everyone runs for a limited time each fall. The OPEN Enrollment for 2024 ACA health plans effective on January 1, 2024 started November 1, 2023 and closed December 15, 2023. An extension to January 16, 2024 is available in many states for plans effective February 1, 2024.
SPECIAL or mid-year enrollments are available only for qualified life events. If you receive notice of a termination from your current health plan, we recommend you enroll for new coverage without delay in order to ensure continuity of coverage, in other words, no break in coverage.
One such life event is the loss of Medicaid coverage. Starting April 1, 2023, as the COVID public health emergency ended, millions of consumers became eligible to enroll in their own “qualified” individual/family health plan as states began terminating government-paid Medicaid and Childrens Health coverage of those who are no longer eligible. See the “FAQs on the Benefits Program” page for a full list of mid-year life events that qualify.
PREMIUM TAX SUBSIDIES FOR ACA PLANS
The federal government rules for obtaining premium tax subsidies on ACA health plans change from year to year and were extended during the pandemic and through 2025 by the federal Inflation Reduction Act.
Households with 2024 projected incomes ABOVE 250% of the federal poverty level are generally EXCLUDED from tax subsidies that reduce health plan premiums and cost sharing.
This means if your projected 2024 household income does not exceed 250% of the federal poverty level – or about $36,000 for a single-person household, or about $80,000 for a family of four – you may qualify for premium tax credits off your 2024 ACA health plan’s monthly premium. By estimating your 2024 total household income, we help you see if you qualify for a subsidy on the cost of an ACA health plan.
Please keep in mind that health insurance is highly regulated by your state and by the federal government. Availability, selection and unsubsidized premiums of ACA health plans are subject to government oversight and vary greatly from state to state.
Each year hundreds of health insurers file thousands of these plans with premium rates, county by county, for regulatory approval in the states. With the help of our technology partner eHealth, we identify and show you the plans we believe are the best value in each area through our annual national due diligence process. Rates are not negotiable on these health plans but may be tax-subsidized based on household income rules set by Congress.
