Your guide to end-of-year health insurance 

As the calendar turns toward December, health insurance becomes one of the most time-sensitive issues facing Indiana families.

The federal Health Insurance Marketplace has strict enrollment deadlines each year and missing them can leave residents without coverage for months. For many people, the enrollment window from November through January is the only chance to secure an Affordable Care Act (ACA) plan, change an existing one or access financial assistance.

Open Enrollment for the ACA Marketplace plans typically runs from November 1 through January 15. Families who enroll by December 15 usually have coverage starting January 1. Those who wait until January have coverage beginning in February. Exact dates and updates can be found at healthcare.gov.

Navigators across Indiana say many fa