NEW CASTLE COUNTY, Del. - Open enrollment for Delaware’s Health Insurance Marketplace has entered its 13th year.
Coverage for enrollees who sign up by Dec. 15. and pay their first month’s premium will be effective Jan. 1. The open enrollment period runs through Jan. 15, 2026.
Those who don't enroll by Jan. 15., cannot get coverage for the year unless they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period based on circumstances like change of income, becoming a parent, or the loss of qualifying health coverage.
Plans on the marketplace are spread among metal-level categories which are bronze, silver, gold, platinum and catastrophic. The plans are based on how enrollees choose to split the costs of care with their insurance company.
Bronze plans have low monthly premiums but high costs when you need care, silver plans have the insurer pay about 70% of medical costs and the consumer pay about 30%, and gold plans have high premiums but lower costs when you need care.
All of the plans offer essential health benefits such as coverage of pre-existing conditions, outpatient care, emergency services, hospitalization, prescription drugs, mental health and substance use disorder services, lab services, pediatric services, birth control, and breastfeeding coverage.
Delawareans who need help enrolling in coverage will have access to free in-person assistance from federally funded and trained specialists at Westside Family Healthcare locations statewide.
"Every Delawarean deserves access to high quality, affordable health coverage, and no matter what happens in Washington, we will keep working to make that a reality," said Delaware Health and Social Services Secretary Christen Linke Young.
Delawareans can renew existing coverage or sign up for a new plan at HealthCare.gov.