{"id":7139,"date":"2024-01-05T04:44:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-05T04:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/?p=7139"},"modified":"2024-01-08T21:35:02","modified_gmt":"2024-01-08T21:35:02","slug":"health-insurance-open-enrollment-in-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/health-insurance\/enrolling-in-a-health-insurance-plan\/health-insurance-open-enrollment-in-california\/","title":{"rendered":"The Facts about Health Insurance Open Enrollment in California"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019re a California resident who is planning to buy or renew your 2023 individual or family health insurance<\/a> through Obamacare, your Open Enrollment period is from Nov. 1, 2023 through Jan. 31, 2024.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are important dates to remember. You must use this Open Enrollment<\/a> period to get coverage for you and\/or your family in 2024, unless you have a qualifying life event that allows you to enroll later. We\u2019ll explain elsewhere on this page which situations are considered qualifying life events. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just know for now that if you don\u2019t have such a life event and miss the Open Enrollment period for Obamacare<\/a>, you or your family will likely go without health insurance<\/a> for 2024. In California, there is a tax penalty if you do not get health coverage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, keep in mind that the concept of Open Enrollment only concerns health insurance. You can buy life, auto, homeowners, and all other forms of insurance at any point when you need coverage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is Obamacare? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This federal health marketplace insurance program is officially known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA)<\/a> but has been nicknamed Obamacare since it was created under the presidential administration of Barack Obama. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its main purpose is to provide affordable health insurance<\/a> for Americans who don\u2019t qualify for coverage through their employers, the Veterans Administration, Medicare, Medicaid, or other free or low-cost programs. Without the ACA, or Obamacare, individual health insurance policies were sometimes too costly for certain segments of the population. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the State of California, residents can contact Freeway Insurance at (877) 583-1475 to get rate quotes for individual health insurance through Obamacare and to enroll. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What If I Have Health Insurance Through My Employer? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you have coverage through your employer, it\u2019s likely that someone in your HR department or another responsible party will help you handle your company\u2019s Open Enrollment period. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Health Marketplace Open Enrollment we\u2019re explaining here is only for individuals or families who don\u2019t have access to group health insurance because they\u2019re unemployed, self-employed, or employed by a company that doesn\u2019t offer group health insurance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Does Open Enrollment Work in California?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To renew an existing Healthcare Marketplace individual health insurance policy in California or to sign up for a new insurance policy, contact a Freeway Insurance agent to find out rate information and other details and to get enrolled in a health plan in California<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll need to have the following information on hand: <\/p>\n\n\n\n