Medicare or the Marketplace: Which Open Enrollment Is Mine?

There are 2 open enrollments this fall, and they overlap. Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7 for people already on Medicare. Marketplace Open Enrollment runs November 1 to January 15 for people under 65 who buy their own health insurance through HealthCare.gov.

Which one is yours depends on whether you have Medicare. Some households need both.

01What is Medicare Open Enrollment?

It's the window each fall when people already on Medicare can change how they get it. You can switch between Original Medicare and a Medicare Advantage plan, change Advantage plans, or join, drop or change a drug plan.

It runs October 15 to December 7. Changes start January 1.

If you're turning 65, this isn't your window. You get your own 7-month window built around your birthday month. My post on when Medicare Open Enrollment is covers the difference.

02What is Marketplace Open Enrollment?

The Marketplace is where people under 65 buy their own health insurance if they don't get it through a job, Medicare or TennCare. Tennessee uses HealthCare.gov.

For 2027 coverage, it runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. To start coverage January 1, pick a plan by December 15. Pick one between December 16 and January 15 and coverage starts February 1.

A rule would have ended the window December 15 this year. According to healthinsurance.org, a federal judge vacated it in June 2026, and HHS said in August that January 15 stands for 2027.

03What's different about the Marketplace this year?

The extra tax credits people got for the last few years expired January 1, 2026. As of September 2026, Congress hasn't extended them.

That brings back the old limit. If your household income is over 4 times the federal poverty level, you don't qualify for a tax credit at all. Under that line, the credit still helps.

There's also a tax-time change. Starting with 2026 returns, if you received more credit than you qualified for, you pay back the full difference. Report income changes to the Marketplace during the year instead of waiting.

04What if one spouse has Medicare and the other doesn't?

This is where households get caught. Medicare covers individuals, not couples.

Say one spouse turns 65 and goes on Medicare, and the other is 62 and loses coverage when the first retires. The one on Medicare uses Medicare's windows. The one under 65 may need a Marketplace plan, and uses the Marketplace window or a Special Enrollment Period tied to losing job coverage.

Same kitchen table, 2 different sets of rules.

05I have a Marketplace plan and I'm turning 65. What happens?

According to HealthCare.gov, Marketplace coverage doesn't end on its own when Medicare starts. You have to end it. You can report your Medicare start date up to 3 months ahead so there's no gap and no overlap.

Once you have Medicare Part A or a Medicare Advantage plan, you no longer qualify for savings on a Marketplace plan. Keep the Marketplace plan after that and you pay for it without any help.

Not sure how this applies to your own situation? I'll walk through it with you. No cost for the help, and no obligation to enroll.

Logan Cope · Licensed Insurance Agent

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06What to do next

1. Check whether you're on Medicare. If yes, your window is October 15 to December 7.
2. If you're under 65 and buy your own coverage, your window is November 1 to January 15. Pick by December 15 for January 1.
3. If you're turning 65 soon with a Marketplace plan, plan the switch so the 2 don't overlap.
4. If your household has one of each, look at both windows together.

I'm licensed for Medicare and Marketplace plans in Rogersville, TN and the rest of Tennessee, so one conversation can cover the whole household.