Open Enrollment for 2025 Health Insurance: Key Changes and What They Mean
There’s a lot to look forward to in the autumn: the leaves change color, pumpkin spice everything returns, and Open Enrollment rolls around. That’s the one time of year anyone can buy or change health insurance. Judging by the record-high number of people who enrolled during last year’s Open Enrollment — 21.4 million people, to be exact — plenty of you are excited, too. Welcome to the club!
That new record signifies growing access to health coverage, which is a great thing. But there are a few Open Enrollment changes for 2025 worth knowing about as you prepare to get covered. Here are the changing policies and what they mean for you and your coverage.
1. DACA recipients are now eligible for marketplace coverage.
Are you a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient? You’ll be able to get health insurance through the federal or your state marketplace for the very first time during this year’s Open Enrollment.
DACA recipients were previously excluded from accessing marketplace plans. That means this rule change will help hundreds of thousands of uninsured DACA recipients become eligible to get the coverage they need. Plus, you can also now qualify for premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions that cut the price of insurance and health care — find your savings here.
2. Georgia has a new state-run enrollment platform.
This Open Enrollment, Georgia is transitioning from offering insurance through the federal marketplace to a new state-run marketplace called Georgia Access. Georgians, that means you’ll have expanded access to quality, affordable marketplace and private plans.
And don’t worry — Stride is fully integrated with Georgia Access’s platform, which means you can easily find, compare, and apply for coverage using Stride’s customizable search tool.
3. New Mexico is expanding access to affordable coverage.
In New Mexico, certain low- and moderate-income households could pay less for health insurance in 2025, making affordable coverage even more accessible for independent workers like you during this Open Enrollment.
4. Colorado is restricting and expanding access to certain subsidies.
Colorado residents, you may need to shop for new coverage this year, depending on your income level.
Previously, you were eligible for certain state-funded savings on your health insurance if your household amounted to up to 250 percent of what’s called the federal poverty level. But starting with this Open Enrollment, these cost reductions will only be available to people making up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. (In 2024, that was $30,120 per year for one person, or $62,400 per year for a family of four. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will release the numbers for 2025 at the beginning of the year.)
Since this criteria change could affect your coverage, we recommend using Stride’s customizable search tool to re-shop for insurance — it’s the simplest way to ensure you still get the right plan for your needs at the best possible price.
At the same time, though, Colorado is making extra funds available to subsidize health care for certain people, including undocumented immigrants. To qualify, your income must be at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level. (In 2024, that was $45,180 for one person or $93,600 per year for a family of four.)
5. Certain insurers are entering or exiting some states.
A number of states will have new health insurance plans available in 2025, or have insurance carriers that are no longer available. Depending on where you live, that could mean you have more access to different carriers and plans, or you could lose your current coverage option.
As a result, it’s a good idea to re-shop for coverage if you live in any of the states listed below — that way you can make sure you have the best coverage for your 2025 needs at the best possible price.
States getting new carriers
Indiana: UnitedHealthcare
Iowa: United Healthcare, Ambetter
New Hampshire: WellSense
Texas: WellPoint, Anthem (Simply)
Florida: Anthem
Maryland: Anthem
Michigan: CareSource
Nebraska: United Healthcare
Wyoming: United Healthcare
States with carriers leaving
Indiana: Ascension
Kansas: Ascension
New Mexico: Ambetter/Western Sky
Pennsylvania: Cigna
South Carolina: Cigna
Tennessee: Ascension
Texas: Ascension
Utah: Cigna
Washington: PacificSource
6. There's a new limit on short-term health insurance.
Nationwide, you’ll no longer be able to buy short-term health insurance for longer than three to four months. (Previously, short-term health insurance could last for as long as 36 months.)
This change helps ensure that short-term coverage is only used temporarily — during a true gap in coverage — and not as a longer-term solution.
Here at Stride, we think that’s a good thing; in fact, we typically recommend against short-term health insurance. A year-long marketplace plan will give you better coverage with fewer restrictions and probably cost you a lot less — find yours here.
Ready to shop for health insurance?
Now that you’re armed with the latest updates, it’s time to start turning information into action.
When Open Enrollment begins on November 1, you can apply for marketplace coverage directly through Stride. As an official partner of HealthCare. gov, we offer all the same plans at the same low prices. But you get a shortcut to the finish line: Our customizable shopping tool helps you find the best coverage for your needs and automatically checks if you qualify for subsidies so you walk away with the right plan for the best price.