4 things to do before your Affordable Care Act (ACA) enrollment

Looking for health insurance during the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enrollment period?

Open enrollment begins November 1.¹ And there’s a few things you can do right now to get ready, whether you’re new to ACA enrollment or plan to enroll again.

• If you’re new to the ACA enrollment process, you’ll have a lot to learn about providers, plans, premiums, networks, and more.
• If you’ve gone through the ACA enrollment process before, rates can change, plans can change, ACA subsidies can change, along with other things from year to year that you’ll need to evaluate.

Either way, you can simplify the ACA enrollment process by following a few simple steps to help you find a plan that meets your needs and your budget.

Ready to get started?

Here are 4 things to help you with the ACA enrollment process:

1. Assess your salary for the coming year

Why? Premium tax credits, or subsidies, are based on your adjusted gross income for the coming year.²

• Assessing your income will help you figure out the amount of subsidies you qualify for and what plans best meet your budget and needs.
• You can use a subsidy calculator to estimate whether you might qualify for a premium credit.³
• Estimating your salary or annual income can also help prevent you from overpaying for your insurance

Will an ACA plan help you save money on health insurance? Probably. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, last year…⁴

• 9 out of 10 people using the Healthcare Marketplace were eligible for savings
• 4 out of 5 people found a plan through the Healthcare Marketplace for $10 or less a month after subsidies
• 96 percent of consumers looking for health insurance through the Marketplace were able to choose plans from at least three health insurers

2. Call doctors & check provider directories

Insurance companies offer provider directories that make it easier to find in-network doctors.

• If you already have a doctor you want to keep working with, be sure you check your current or new plan’s directory.⁵
• You can also call doctors’ offices to see if they’re still accepting a specific plan,
• Confirm that your providers accept the plan and are in network before enrolling.

3. Check for new ACA plans in your area

You can check for plans in your state and get information about premiums, deductibles, co-pays, networks, and more. Here’s how:

• Go to Explore Affordable Care Act health insurance plans
• Enter your City, State or ZIP code, and select Find Plans
• Use the filters for Coverage Level and Plan Type to narrow your search and review plans available in your area

For 2025, an estimated 324 insurers will offer plans in the Healthcare Marketplace across 50 states and Washington D.C., which is similar to last year.⁶

However, some changes you can expect during ACA enrollment this year include:

• A median increase of 7 percent for plan premiums⁶
• Data suggests the primary reason for premium increases include inflation, hospital staffing shortages, and an increased demand for weight-loss drugs⁶
• Most states will offer one or more ACA health plans with different premiums based on the type of plan: bronze, silver, gold and platinum plans⁶

 4. Use all the subsidies available to you

Affordable Care Act enrollees who make below certain income limits may qualify for “extra savings,” known as cost-sharing reductions.⁷

• These extra benefits lower your out-of-pocket costs (such as deductibles, out-of-pocket spending limits, and copays).
• If you qualify for cost-sharing reductions, you must enroll in a silver plan to get the extra savings.
• If you enroll in a different plan type (bronze, gold, platinum), you can still receive tax credits, but you won’t get the extra savings.
• In addition to federal subsidies, nine states offer additional subsidies to help lower premiums⁸

Want some help with the ACA enrollment process?

We can help. Find and compare plans in your area. Give us a call at (800) 827-9990 to speak with a licensed insurance agent who specializes in ACA enrollment, or find a licensed insurance agent in your area who can help you review your options.