What happens if you miss the open enrollment period?

Missing the open enrollment period typically means that you cannot enroll in a health insurance plan until the next designated enrollment period unless you qualify for a special enrollment period. Special enrollment periods are triggered by qualifying life events such as getting married, having a baby, or losing other health coverage. These events allow individuals to enroll outside of the normal enrollment window.

This process is designed to streamline the enrollment of individuals who have significant life changes, ensuring they can obtain coverage when it is most needed. Thus, if someone misses the open enrollment, they would indeed need to wait until the next open enrollment period unless they experience a qualifying event that allows them to enroll in a plan outside of that timeframe.