-- Will you be ready when open enrollment starts November 1?

-- Nonprofits can explore health insurance options with Enroll Wyoming

-- DACA recipients gaining access to special enrollment and open enrollment

-- We hope to see you at CoverWyo 2024

The health insurance marketplace was created to increase health coverage access and affordability. Open enrollment will begin

in less than a month on Nov. 1. This is the time when almost everyone must enroll in or renew marketplace health insurance plans for 2025.

There are multiple ways to prepare for open enrollment season. First, contact an Enroll Wyoming health insurance navigator. These trained experts can guide families and individuals through their options to find solutions that meet their priorities. Grant funding allows us to provide our services for free. Visit enrollwyo.org or call 211 to connect with a navigator.

Second, you can explore on your own by setting up an account at healthcare.gov. Security steps are required to make sure scammers don't create an account in someone else's name. Save time by completing the verification process early. In addition, the details of 2025 health plans and estimated prices will be posted soon for people to review.

Nonprofit organizations provide key services in Wyoming with limited funds and staff. We hear many make it difficult to find and afford comprehensive health coverage. Enroll Wyoming regularly works with nonprofits to help them review their options.

During Enroll Wyoming's October video podcast, we sat down with Jody Shields of the Wyoming Nonprofit Network and Olivia Schon of Wyoming 211 to talk about the challenges and solutions they have found.

For example, Wyoming 211 provides a stipend to employees, who can use the money to get coverage through the health insurance marketplace. Schon says this saves the nonprofit thousands of dollars a year. Watch the full interview on the Enroll Wyoming YouTube channel.

When open enrollment starts on Nov. 1, those impacted by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) will have new options to get health insurance. The upcoming season will be the first time when those commonly known as Dreamers can apply for marketplace coverage under new rules announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

In addition to applying for health insurance for next year, they can apply for special enrollment and could receive health coverage that starts as early as Dec. 1.

For people in Wyoming, this means more community members with DACA status can get the medical care they need and improve the overall health and well-being of the state. To receive marketplace coverage, applicants still must meet additional requirements.

There are only a few days before the CoverWyo conference on Oct. 8-9 at the Rock Springs Holiday Inn. This is the free annual training event where the Wyoming Primary Care Association and Enroll Wyoming will help assisters get ready for open enrollment.

Due to popular demand, additional discounted rooms have been reserved and the deadline to book them has been extended. You can find more details on our resource page and the registration page.

To find specific Enroll Wyoming events, see the Wyoming 211 calendar.

This project is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1.5 million for 2025 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. government.