Vermont Business Magazine The first important deadline for Vermont’s Open Enrollment period is coming soon: Vermonters enrolling through Vermont Health Connect must enroll by December 15 for coverage to begin on January 1, 2026. Open Enrollment for Vermont’s health insurance marketplace began on November 1. During Open Enrollment, Vermonters can sign up for or change their qualified health and dental plans for 2026. Open Enrollment continues until January 15, 2026, but coverage will begin February 1 for enrollees signing up after December 15. It’s important to sign up now, before the December 15 deadline, to have coverage for all of 2026.
Financial assistance is available for most Vermonters enrolled though Vermont Health Connect. While federal assistance is decreasing, many Vermonters can still see significant savings.
“We want to be very clear that financial assistance is still available,” said DaShawn Groves, Commissioner for the Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA), “There has been some understandable confusion with federal cuts to subsidies, and we know Vermonters have deep concerns regarding affordability. We want to reassure our members that, even with the expiration of enhanced federal subsidies in 2026, many enrollees still qualify for premium assistance.”
For example: for plan year 2026, an eligible individual who earns $40,000 a year could get the lowest-cost Gold plan for $77 a month – a savings of $1,058 each month. A family of four with a household income of $85,000 could get a Gold plan for $204 a month – a monthly savings of $2,067, or more than $20,000 per year.
The Department of Vermont Health Access encourages Vermonters to log in and explore plan options through Vermont Health Connect to ensure that they’re enrolled in a plan that meets their needs for 2026. In the event of additional federal changes, DVHA will immediately communicate with our members and update Vermont Health Connect to ensure that all Vermonters are paying the lowest possible premiums.
DVHA recommends signing up by December 15 to ensure coverage throughout all of 2026. Coverage will begin on February 1, 2026, for people who enroll between December 16, 2025, and January 15, 2026, the final day of the open enrollment period.
It's easy to sign up and review options:
- Create an account and apply. Tell us about your household. You will be screened to see if you are eligible for financial help to help pay for a health plan.
- The easy-to-use 2026 Plan Comparison Tool is designed to help you choose a health plan that best meets your financial and medical needs.
- Assisters are professionals who are trained and certified by the Department of Vermont Health Access to help Vermonters enroll and maintain health coverage. They can answer questions and walk you through an application. Assisters work for various agencies in the community, such as hospitals, health care providers, and community-based organizations.
- Learn how to calculate if employer-sponsored insurance is affordable or if you can get financial help through the marketplace with this online tool.
Visit www.VermontHealthConnect.gov, call the Customer Support Center at 1-855-899-9600, or contact an in-person Assister near you for more information about Open Enrollment.
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