Prepare for a Dynamic HealthCare.gov Marketplace Open Enrollment Season, Starting November 1
November 1, 2025, marks the start of the 2025-26 HealthCare.gov Marketplace Open Enrollment season. Last season, Milwaukee County achieved record increases in enrollment with a 30% increase in Marketplace enrollments and BadgerCare Plus enrollments holding steady around 243,000, roughly 13,000 higher than pre-pandemic levels. This year, significant federal policy changes are anticipated to impact the dynamics of the Marketplace and subsequent enrollments and renewals.
“Consumers will soon face significant barriers to both accessing and maintaining health insurance coverage,” said Justin Rivas, Milwaukee Enrollment Network Manager and Milwaukee Health Care Partnership Director of Community Health Initiatives. “But our countywide collaborative is strong, we have proven strategies to build on, and support is still available to help consumers – whether that be a case manager helping to upload documents on the MyACCESS mobile app or a Covering Wisconsin Navigator managing a difficult case.”
Below are critical Marketplace updates to note and their associated timelines, as well as calls to action for all partners across the county to plan for and consider ahead of the 2025-26 Open Enrollment season.
Marketplace Updates to Note:
(Please note, information is accurate as of distribution. Court stays/injunctions and changes are happening in real time.)
- This year’s Open Enrollment season timeframe has not changed and runs from November 1, 2025, to January 15, 2026.
- Next year’s Open Enrollment season will be shortened to the pre-pandemic timeline, November 1 to December 15, 2026.
- Premium tax credits that support lower monthly costs for consumers are expected to expire at the end of 2025. While politics around this issue are currently dynamic, if the tax credits do end, premium costs are expected to rise by 75%.
- The Low-Income Special Enrollment Period for those below 150% FPL no longer exists, effective August 25, 2025.
- DACA recipients are no longer eligible for Marketplace coverage, effective August 25, 2025.
- Potential administrative burdens, such as income verification, are now in place, effective August 25, 2025 (currently halted by court injunctions).
Calls to Action:
- Stay engaged with or join the Milwaukee Enrollment Network (MKEN) to receive all the latest information, leverage resources and trainings, and engage in local discussions around coverage issues and solutions.
- Train your staff to provide enrollment support. This can range from learning how to have conversations about coverage to becoming a Certified Application Counselor (CAC).
- Share resources with your clients and community at events, through your digital channels, or in service interactions. Flyers, posters, social media, and blog content are available on HealthyMke.com.
To explore any of these opportunities further, contact MKEN Manager Justin Rivas at jrivas@mkehcp.org.
The Milwaukee Enrollment Network is a consortium of more than 100 organizations committed to promoting adequate and affordable health insurance coverage, with a focus on low-income, uninsured, and underinsured people in Milwaukee County. MKEN is co-sponsored by the Milwaukee Health Care Partnership and Covering Wisconsin.