Still time to sign up for Vermont Health Connect

The Open Enrollment period for Vermont’s health insurance marketplace, known as Vermont Health Connect, is ending soon, but there is still time for eligible Vermonters to enroll or make changes to their plan. Monday, Jan. 15 is the last day to enroll for qualified health plan coverage in 2024. Any eligible Vermonter can enroll via Vermont Health Connect by Jan. 15 for coverage starting Feb. 1.

This year, the Department of Vermont Health Access announces that online self-service is available through the end of Open Enrollment. In most cases, Vermonters can complete the application – from start to finish – online at www.VermontHealthConnect.gov. Additionally, any customer currently enrolled in a qualified health plan can change their plan during this time. The Plan Comparison Tool is a resource available to Vermonters to help select the right plan for their needs.

Vermonters can save money on the amount they pay for plans, called premiums, if they qualify and sign up on the health insurance marketplace. Over 90% of people who are enrolled through Vermont Health Connect qualify for financial help. Thousands of Vermonters now pay less than $25 a month for coverage through the marketplace.

Customers eligible for financial help can apply the savings to the plan of their choice. It’s important that customers shop to see which plan is best for them. All qualified health plans available include the same essential health benefits. For Vermonters who have recently transitioned off Medicaid or other health coverage, these qualified health plans provide a way to regain or maintain continuous health insurance coverage at a low cost. If eligible for Marketplace subsidies, people who no longer have Medicaid coverage may find health plans that, like Medicaid, have zero (or near-zero) monthly premiums.

While Jan. 15 is a holiday, Vermonters can still make plan selections or edits online that day via www.VermontHealthConnect.gov. Once Open Enrollment is over, customers can only change their 2024 plan if they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

It’s easy to sign up:

• Create an account and apply. Tell us about your household. You will be screened to see if you are eligible for subsidies to help pay for a health plan.
• The easy-to-use Plan Comparison Tool for 2024 health plans is designed to help you choose a plan to best meets your financial and medical needs.
• Assisters are professionals who are trained and certified by the Department of Vermont Health Access to help Vermonters enroll and maintain health coverage. They can answer questions and walk you through an application. Assisters work for various agencies in the community, such as hospitals, health care providers, and community-based organizations.
• Learn how to calculate if employer-sponsored insurance is affordable or if you can get financial help through the marketplace with this online tool.

In order to assist as many Vermonters as possible through the end of Open Enrollment, the Customer Support Center (1-855-899-9600) will extend its hours. In addition to normal operating hours, the call center will also be open on from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 11 and 12  and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 13 and 14.