It's a crucial time of the year for the 24 million Americans who rely on health insurance purchased through the public marketplace.
Open enrollment is the season -- from Nov. 1 to Jan. 15 -- when Americans to choose and lock in a health insurance plan for the following year. For anyone looking to buy health care coverage for 2026, the next few weeks are crucial. Dec. 15 is the deadline for coverage that takes effect on Jan. 1.
But that importance (and urgency) is also what makes it a time of high risk when online scammers may try to exploit you. Consumer attention and anxiety around open enrollment are frequently exploited by sophisticated cybercriminals, leading to identity theft, financial loss and interruption of medical care.
While open enrollment is necessary to keep your coverage going into next year, you need to be vigilant against complex scams that target Medicare beneficiaries and Marketplace enrollees through impersonation, high-pressure sales and benefit fraud.
A few key defensive strategies -- paired with some tech tools and services -- can help protect you, your personal data and your finances.
Here's what a cybersecurity expert and a healthcare expert say you can do to keep yourself safe during open enrollment season.
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Why open enrollment is a prime target for fraudsters
1. Urgency and confusion
The urgency of open enrollment season is built into the structure of the program. There is a deadline, after all.
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