Health insurance is usually a 12-month contract between you and your insurance company. During Open Enrollment (November 1-January 15), be sure to enroll in new health coverage or re-enroll in your current coverage to stay covered for the year ahead.

When you have certain life changes, like a move or a change in income, it’s important to report the change to the agency that provides your health coverage, like the Marketplace or your state Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) agency. This helps make sure you’re getting the right coverage and amount of help paying for it.

When you complete your Marketplace application, your "Eligibility Results" will tell you if you're eligible for any plans, programs, and savings. Here's more information on the programs and savings you may be eligible for, which may appear on your "Eligibility Results"

Where you live can affect what health coverage you’re eligible for. Health coverage programs require people in their programs to be residents in the state where they can get help paying for health coverage.

If you're getting help completing this application from a professional, select the type from this list:

• Navigator
• Certified application counselor
• In-person assistance personnel
• Agent or broker
• None of these

See below for more information about each type of professional who can help you with your application.

You may be asked if your household income will be less than a certain amount this year. Your total household income includes all the money that the people in the household earn for the whole year, all added together. When answering this question, make your best estimate so you qualify for the right amount of savings. Be sure to include all of these types of income:

You and your family may be eligible for tax credits, cost-sharing reductions, or coverage through Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). If you want to see if you qualify for help paying for coverage, we’ll ask if you plan to file taxes and who will be on your tax return for the year that you’re applying for coverage.

You’ll be asked to define the relationships between the people on your application. When asked to define the relationship, you can choose from this list:

Your Marketplace application may show information about income you earned. This is information we got from a consumer reporting agency, and it reflects your current employment. If it’s accurate, check “This information is correct.” If the information isn’t accurate, select “Edit” or “Remove” to make changes.

If you’re American Indian or Alaska Native, you’ll be asked if any of your income comes from these sources:

You’ll be asked about how you’re paid:

• Income amount: If you’re asked about your income amount, enter the amount that’s shown on your pay stub before taxes are taken out.
• How often? After you enter how much you earn, select how often. Choose one option, like “hourly,” “daily,” or “weekly.” If you’re paid through a one-time contract, you can select “one time only.”
• Hours per week? Enter the number of hours or days you work each week.

If you’re enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), you don’t qualify for premium tax credits or other savings for a Marketplace plan. If you still want a Marketplace plan, you’d have to pay full price.