Navigating Health Insurance Open Enrollment for 2025 in Montana

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Open Enrollment for health insurance is underway and will continue until December 15 for coverage to begin on January 1, 2025.

I spoke with Frank Cote, Deputy State Insurance Commissioner, who explained open enrollment basics.

Deputy Montana Insurance Commissioner Talks About Open Enrollment

“If you are looking for an individual health insurance plan through the Marketplace, the dates that you have to sign up are November 1 through December 15, if you want a January 1 effective date,” began Cote. “If you don't sign up in that time frame, you cannot have a January 1 effective date.”

Cote emphasized the importance of speaking to a local agency to help you find the right plan for you and your family.

Cote Emphasized Finding a Health Insurance Agent You Can Trust

“The things that I think is people are looking at buying health insurance that they'll want to know and understand is simply these; I think the first thing they want to do is go find an agent that they trust that works in the marketplace and can explain the various options to them through the various carriers that are selling on the exchange.”

One reason for speaking to a local expert is to understand the ins and outs of health care coverage.

“There are some plans that are being sold that are what they call a ‘narrow network’,” he said. “In Missoula, for instance, they may have one hospital in their network, but not the other hospital, and so you'll want to make sure that whatever plan you choose, the network they have is the network that you want.”

Cote Also Emphasized Finding the Right Drug and Prescription Coverage

Cote said another important issue regarding open enrollment is that of drug coverage.

“What is the drug coverage that this particular plan that you're looking at purchasing?” he asked. “What do they cover? What is their pharmacy network? Those kinds of things, I think, are all very important, because the worst thing you can do is go out there and find the cheapest plan and then find out later it doesn't cover what you hoped it would cover.”

Get more details about open enrollment in Montana here. Or, call the Insurance Commissioners office at 1-800-332-6148.