Action Plan: Looking for new health insurance plan

Action Plan

Learn about health care costs.

Understanding how you pay for a health plan will help you determine what plan works best for you.

Learn about health care costs on HealthCare.gov

Find out when open enrollment is.

You can review your health plan options during open enrollment. Open enrollment is the yearly period when people can enroll in a health insurance plan.

Ask your employer when the next open enrollment period starts.

If you get health insurance through a state or federal Health Insurance Marketplace, the open enrollment period is usually November 1 - January 15. Visit HealthCare.gov to get started.

Get open enrollment dates on HealthCare.gov

Learn what you need to do before open enrollment on HealthCare.gov

Research what plans are available during open enrollment.

Ask your employer for the “Summary of Benefits and Coverage” for your company’s available health plans.

If you get health insurance through a state or federal Marketplace, visit HealthCare.gov to search for available plans.

See health plans on HealthCare.gov

Read the Summary of Benefits and Coverage for each plan. Check to see if the plan covers the care you need.

Summaries are written in plain language. They explain how much the plan costs and what services aren’t covered by the plan.

The last page of the Summary shows example situations, like having a baby or managing type 2 diabetes. It lists how much those situations typically cost on the health plan.

If you are reviewing plans on the Marketplace, select the plan’s name. Then select “Plan documents” to read the Summary.

Learn about Summaries of Benefits and Coverage on HealthCare.gov

Call your providers. Find out if they take your preferred health insurance.

Make sure your providers take the health insurance you plan to enroll in.

Call their offices and give them the name of the health plan you’d like to choose. They will tell you if they accept that health insurance.

Enroll in the health plan that works for you.

Review your plan’s costs, services, and providers, and choose the health plan that fits your needs.

Your employer will let you know how to enroll for your new plan.

If you get health insurance through a state or federal Marketplace, apply for your new plan on HealthCare.gov.

Sign up for your new plan at HealthCare.gov