effective date

What is the effective date?

The effective date is the date your insurance coverage commences. In most cases, this will always be the first of a future month, although a newborn baby or newly adopted child can have coverage retroactive to the date of birth or adoption.

Here’s more about how effective dates work when you enroll in a health plan through the exchange.

In most cases, employer-sponsored coverage will be effective the first of the month following your enrollment, or the first of the coming plan year if you enroll or make a plan change during your employer’s open enrollment period.

Similarly, individual market coverage will generally be effective the first of the month after you enroll during a special enrollment period, or on January 1 or February 1 if you enroll during the annual open enrollment period. For enrollments submitted during special enrollment periods, state-run Marketplaces previously had some flexibility on effective dates. But the rules have been standardized nationwide as of 2025.