Learn about this year's Open Enrollment period for Coloradans and read our complete guide to Special Enrollment Periods and qualifying life events.
An Open Enrollment Period is a time when all people can apply for, join, switch, or drop a health insurance plan. In Colorado, the Open Enrollment Period for individuals and families to apply for health insurance coverage is November 1st through January 15th. For Medicare recipients, the Open Enrollment Period, also known as the Annual Election Period (AEP), is from October 15th through December 7th each year.
You will not qualify for a Special Enrollment Period simply because you forget to sign up for health insurance before the Open Enrollment deadline. To be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period, you must experience a Qualifying Life Event.
There are four main categories of Qualifying Life Events for individual and family insurance. The first is a loss of health coverage, which can occur if you lose coverage through an employer or if you are no longer eligible for Medicaid, Medicare, or CHIP. Loss of health coverage could also occur if you turn 26 and are no longer covered by your parents’ health insurance plan.
The second category covers life events related to changes in your household. Examples of these events may include marriage, the birth of a baby, an adoption, or a death in the family.
The final category covers all other types of Qualifying Life Events, such as becoming a U.S. citizen, experiencing a change in income that affects your eligibility for health insurance coverage, and being released from incarceration.
As we arrive at the halfway mark of 2025, it's an ideal moment to review the major trends that have shaped the year's first half and to anticipate what lies ahead in the coming months.
