Unlike Medicaid and CHIP programs that have a year-round enrollment period for eligible individuals – people, who don’t have employer-sponsored coverage or qualifying life event, have an opportunity to buy health insurance in Ohio only during the special open enrollment window. As the state uses a federally facilitated health insurance exchange, the period falls under the HealthCare.gov schedule. From 2022 the residents of the state can enroll or switch the current health insurance plan during the new extended enrollment window that lasts from November 1 to January 15.

Similarly to ACA Marketplace – Medicare also has its own enrollment periods: initial and annual. The initial enrollment period for Medicare in Ohio begins three months before the month of your 65th birthday and ends three months after your 65th birthday. The annual Medicare enrollment window that lasts from October 15 to December 7 allows Medicare beneficiaries the chance to switch between Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare (and add, drop, or switch to a different Medicare Part D prescription plan). People who are already enrolled in Medicare Advantage also have the option to switch to a different Advantage plan or Original Medicare during the Medicare Advantage open enrollment period, which runs from January 1 to March 31.

However, if under different circumstances you missed an enrollment period and don’t have any qualifying life events, there is still a realistic alternative to get health coverage, while waiting for a more comprehensive plan to become available. Ohioans are allowed to get short-term health insurance any time of the year and choose a coverage period of up to a year. These plans may include coverage for doctor visits, hospital stays, and some prescription medications, but usually do not cover pre-existing conditions or certain types of treatments.