Open enrollment season for health insurance is just around the corner. Starting November 1, Americans who don't get coverage through work or the government will be able to sign up for health plans that take effect in 2019.
Fewer will do so this year than last, according to a recent report from the Congressional Budget Office. Last open enrollment, 11.8 million people signed up through the exchanges; roughly 5 million purchased plans “off-exchange” through agents or directly from insurers. This time, the CBO projects that just 12 million people in total will purchase individual-market plans — whether on or off the exchanges.
