The Health Insurance Marketplace or “exchange” is for people who don’t have health coverage and has its own annual open enrollment period. For 2018 plans, the marketplace’s open enrollment is Nov. 1, 2017, to Dec. 15, 2017. The exchange is not intended for people who are on Medicare.
Medicare is not part of the Health Insurance Marketplace. Medicare’s open enrollment is for people on Medicare to make changes to their Medicare coverage. For 2018 coverage, Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period is Oct. 15 through Dec. 7.
While the dates of the exchange open enrollment and Medicare’s open enrollment may overlap, they are distinctly different.
