October 30, 2026

Countdown to Open Enrollment

ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment season is almost here! From November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027, most people will be able to enroll in health insurance through the federal exchange on Healthcare.gov, or through their state-based Marketplace (note: some state-based marketplaces have different open enrollment schedules). KFF has summarized some of the recent changes to the ACA Marketplace impacting consumers this year. This newsletter features some last-minute resources to review in addition to our Disability Guide for Health Insurance Marketplace Navigators as you prepare for the upcoming enrollment period.

Explore our Topical Fact Sheets:

1. Comparing Health Plan’s Benefits and Coverage Summaries
2. Getting and Using Health Plan Evidence of Coverage
3. Using Health Plan Customer Service
4. Rehabilitation and Habilitation Services and Devices
5. Prescription Medication Benefits
6. Supporting Collaborations between Navigators, Connectors and Assisters, and Local Disability and Affinity Organizations
7. Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity
8. Medically Frail Status as an Exemption to Receiving Medicaid Alternative Benefit Plan with Essential Health Benefits
9. Streamlined Marketplace Application Process
10. Medical Supplies Benefits
11. Civil Rights of People with Disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
12. Process for Medicaid Eligibility
13. Referral and Resource Lists
14. Information for People on Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Waiting Lists
15. Medicaid Buy-In
16. Moving from Coverage-to-Care for People with Disabilities
17. Disability Etiquette
18. Renewals and Redeterminations
19. End of the Medicaid Continuous Coverage Requirement – What People with Disabilities Need to Know
20. Assisting Consumers with Communication Needs
21. Special Enrollment Periods

Explore our Population Specific Fact Sheets:

• What to Know When Assisting Children and Adults in the Autism Community
• What to Know When Assisting a Consumer who has Experienced or is at Risk for Blood Clots
• What to Know When Assisting a Consumer with a Child with Special Health Care Needs
• What to Know When Assisting a Consumer with Intellectual Disability
• What to Know When Assisting a Consumer with Mental Illness
• What to Know When Assisting a Consumer with Multiple Sclerosis
• What to Know When Assisting a Consumer with Spina Bifida
• What to Know When Assisting a Consumer with Traumatic Brain Injury
• Information for Veterans Regarding Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare

For additional guidance, review the current webinars from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ Beyond the Basics series. Please note: For coverage to begin on January 1^st, enrollment must be completed by December 15, 2026. After Open Enrollment, eligible individuals can enroll during the year through a Special Enrollment Period. Additionally, Medicaid open enrollment is year-round.

The NDNRC Newsletter is published weekly. Archives of our weekly updates are available on the NDNRC website. This newsletter is supported by the American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD). Sign up to become an AAHD member today to support ongoing projects like this.