The national deadline to enroll in a new 2015 individual and family health insurance under the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s Marketplace  is February 15, 2015. Enrollment by Feb 15th will begin insurance coverage as soon as March 1, 2015. However, if you have a change of your family status (marriage or birth of a child) or if you loose employer health insurance coverage after Feb 15th , you will have another opportunity to enroll in a health insurance plan. This enrollment period is called the Special Enrollment Period. It will give you 60 days to enroll in a health insurance plan under the federal Affordable Care Act.

If you own or operate a small business, you can start health insurance coverage for your employees and yourself any time during the year.  This Feb 15, 2015 deadline does not apply to the small business health insurance coverage.  You can also enroll in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) any time during the year.

If you enrolled in a ACA health insurance plan in 2014 and wish to continue coverage in 2015, you must renew your coverage or choose a new plan also by February 15, 2015.

VERY IMPORTANT: Before you enroll in any health insurance plan, call your doctor(s) office and also check with your local hospital to make sure that they are “in network” and will accept you as a new patient.   It is OK to check first on the health insurance’s web site to see if they are “in network”; however, you want to double check with your doctor(s) and local hospital before you enroll in the health insurance plan.