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If you have certain types of life changes — like losing health coverage, moving, getting married, or having a baby — you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period to enroll in a Marketplace plan for the rest of 2018.

Do you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period?

• See the full list of life events that make you eligible.
• Use our screener tool. Answer a few questions, and we’ll tell you if you may qualify.
• Want to see plans first? Before you apply, you can preview 2018 plans with estimated prices based on your income.

If you already know you qualify, start an application:

• Create an account to start an application.
• When you apply, you may be asked to submit documents to confirm the events that make you eligible. Learn more.

Don’t miss the April 17, 2018, deadline to file 2017 taxes and report your health coverage! No matter how you got health coverage — whether through the Marketplace, your job, or another source — you must report your 2017 coverage status to the IRS when you file taxes.

Get step-by-step directions & tax forms:

• Choose your 2017 health coverage status. The form you’ll use will depend on how you got your health coverage.
• If you had 2017 Marketplace insurance, you’ll use Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement, to "reconcile" your taxes.
• Even if you don’t normally have to file a federal income tax return, you’re required to file if you had a 2017 Marketplace health plan and got financial help with your premium costs.
• Can't find your 1095-A? Get help finding it.

Tax help is available:

• Find out where to get free volunteer tax help.
• Learn about the IRS's Free File.
• Find a tax software program to help you prepare your taxes.

Visiting the doctor soon? Here are 5 things you can do to get ready.

Get ready for your doctor’s visit

• Bring your insurance card with you. After you enrolled in a plan, you should have gotten a card or other proof of your insurance in the mail. (If you didn’t get a card, contact your health plan.)
• Know your family health history. Share with your doctor any family health history and medical records, if you have them.
• Make a list of any medicines you take. Make sure to tell your provider the dosages.
• Bring a list of questions and things to discuss. Write down your questions or concerns in advance. You may want to bring a friend or family member with you to help.
• Take notes. Jot down any questions that come up during your appointment. Don’t leave until all of your questions have been answered and you understand what to do next.

For more tips on preparing for your doctor’s visit, read our "From Coverage to Care: A Roadmap to Better Care and a Healthier You" (PDF).

Choosing a provider you trust is one of the most important decisions you’ll make about your health care, and finding the right one can take a little work. Follow these 4 steps to help you choose:

How to find a doctor you trust

1. Get a list of in-network providers: Call your insurance company or look at their plan materials for a list of doctors in their network. You’ll usually pay less to see a doctor in your network than a doctor who’s out-of-network.
2. Do your research: Ask friends and family if they recommend their doctors. You may even be able to read online reviews for doctors in your area.
3. Call the office for more information: Call the doctor’s office and ask them any questions you have to help you decide. Make sure they accept new patients and your health coverage.
4. Make an appointment, and give them a try: When you call to make your appointment, have your insurance card on hand. It might take more than one visit to figure out if a doctor is the right one for you.

Learn more about finding a provider and making an appointment (PDF).

You can get health care in many different places, but it’s best to get routine care from a primary care doctor. Visiting your primary care doctor usually costs much less than visiting the emergency room, and you’ll spend less time waiting. Check out these 3 tips to know where to go for medical care:

Where to go based on the care you need

• For routine care, visit a primary care doctor: They’ll work with you to make sure you get the right preventive services, manage any chronic conditions, and improve your overall health and well-being.
• Before getting care, know you’re covered: Call the office before you visit to make sure they see patients with your coverage. Not all doctors and hospitals take all insurance plans or types of coverage. Learn about finding a doctor in your plan.
• In an emergency or life-threatening situation, call 9-1-1: In an emergency, get care from the closest hospital that can help you. They’ll treat you even if you don’t have any insurance.

Get more information on knowing where to go for care.

After you enrolled in Marketplace insurance, you probably got a membership package in the mail with information about your coverage. You may have also gotten a card or other document as proof of your insurance. (If you didn’t get a card, contact your health plan.)

3 things to know about your membership package & insurance card

• Read your membership materials carefully: You may need them when you see a doctor or if you call your insurance company with questions. If you don’t understand the materials you got, call your health plan and ask them to explain.
• Review your insurance card: It shows your member and group numbers, your plan type, and a phone number to call for questions about finding a doctor or what your plan covers.
• Store your insurance card in a safe place: If someone else uses your insurance card or member number to get prescription drugs or medical care, they’re committing fraud.

Learn more about understanding your membership (PDF) and plan materials.

Insurance plans can differ in which providers you can see and how much you have to pay. It’s important to understand your costs and key health insurance terms, so you’ll know what services your plan will pay for and how much each visit or medicine will cost.

Important key words explained

• Deductible: The amount you owe for covered health care services before your health insurance or plan begins to pay.
• Copayment: An amount you pay as your share of the cost for a medical service or item, like a doctor's visit.
• Coinsurance: Your share of the cost for a covered health care service, usually calculated as a percentage (like 20%) of the allowed amount for the service.
• Premium: The amount you pay for your health insurance or plan each month.
• Network: The doctors, hospitals, and suppliers your health insurer has contracted with to deliver health care services to their members.

Browse our glossary for more health insurance definitions, and get more information on how your costs work together.

You can use your Marketplace health insurance when you’re sick and when you’re well. Follow these tips to help maintain your health:

Put your health first

• Take advantage of free preventive services: Preventive care, like shots and screening tests, is free with your Marketplace plan when delivered by a doctor or provider in your plan’s network.
• Improve your mental and emotional well-being: All Marketplace plans cover mental health and substance abuse services as essential health benefits.
• Stay organized: Use this booklet (PDF) to keep all your health information in one place. This helps you easily track your coverage information and care.

Get more information on using your Marketplace coverage

• See what else Marketplace health plans cover.
• Read our Coverage to Care: Roadmap to Better Care and a Healthier You (PDF) for more on putting your health first.

If you had 2017 Marketplace coverage, you should have already received Form 1095-A in the mail. Make sure your Form 1095-A is accurate before you file your taxes. You’ll use information from this form about the second lowest-cost Silver Plan (SLCSP) to complete Form 8962, Premium Tax Credit.

First: Verify your household and coverage information & SLCSP

To make sure your SLCSP is correct, look at Part III, Column B of your 1095-A, titled “Monthly second lowest-cost Silver Plan (SLCSP) premium.” The SLCSP premium is incorrect if:

• Part III, Column B has a “0” or is blank for any month someone in your household had the Marketplace plan.
• You had changes in your household that you didn’t tell the Marketplace about — like having a baby, moving, getting married or divorced, or losing a dependent.

If either applies, use our tax tool to get your SLCP premium.

If anything about your coverage or household is wrong on your Form 1095-A, contact the Marketplace Call Center.

Second: “Reconcile” on your taxes

Now that you know your Form 1095-A is accurate, you’re ready to file. If you had a Marketplace plan and used advance payments of the premium tax credit (APTC) to lower your monthly payment, you’ll have to "reconcile" when you file your federal taxes.

See a step-by-step guide to reconciling.

You should have already received Form 1095-A in the mail. This form may also be available online in your Marketplace account. Before you file your 2017 taxes, make sure your Form 1095-A is accurate. Don’t file 2017 taxes until you have a correct 1095-A. If it has errors, contact the Marketplace Call Center, and you’ll be sent a corrected Form 1095-A.

How to check Form 1095-A for accuracy

• Verify basic information about your health plan and household members on Parts I and II of the form.
• Make sure the premium for the second lowest-cost Silver plan (SLCSP) is correct. See how to check your SLCSP.
• If it’s not, you’ll use our tax tool to get your SLCSP.

Get more information on using Form 1095-A.

Already filed with an incorrect form?

You may need to file an amended return using the information on your corrected 1095-A. Learn about amending returns from the IRS.