Pennie Open Enrollment Ends January 15, 2022

Open Enrollment for Pennie, Pennsylvania’s new health and dental insurance marketplace, ends January 15, 2022.  This means cosumers are able to select a health insurance plan and enroll any time between now and January 15.  Pennie is our state's health insurance marketplace; it replaced Healthcare.gov in 2020 and offers uninsured Pennsylvanians a chance to enroll in health insurance coverage, often with substantial financial assistance.

Pennie’s website offers an insurance plan comparison tool that asks individuals to answer questions about their health status, health providers, and prescription drug needs. Once all questions are answered, the tool presents coverage options and includes helpful information about pertinent plan costs (e.g. monthly premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs).

During the Open Enrollment Period, consumers who select an insurance plan prior to December 15, 2021 will have their coverage start January 1, 2022. Consumers who select a plan between December 15, 2021 and January 15, 2022 will have their coverage start on February 1, 2022. Consumers who miss the current Open Enrollment deadline of January 15 will have to wait until the next open enrollment period (November 2022 through January 2023) to enroll in health insurance coverage, unless they qualify for a special enrollment period due to experiencing a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) such as birth of a child, marriage, or loss of other health insurance. Refer to this reference chart for a full list of QLEs eligible for a special enrollment period.

When consumers apply for health insurance coverage through Pennie, they are also screened for eligibility under Medicaid (Medical Assistance) and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). If eligible for either Medicaid or CHIP, Pennie will forward the applicants’ information to these programs.

Consumers needing additional information on Pennie coverage may call Pennie at 1-844-844-8040. For help with Medicaid or CHIP eligibility, call PHLP’s Helpline at 1-800-274-3258.