open enrollment
noun
1
a
chiefly US
: the voluntary enrollment of a student in a public school other than the one assigned on the basis of residence
Carnegie Vanguard High would continue to offer open enrollment to students from across the district and would still likely offer transportation to all its students.—
Shelby Webb
Shelby Webb
b
chiefly US
: enrollment on demand as a student in an institution of higher learning irrespective of formal qualifications
Open enrollment, long the hallmark of the community college, may soon be a thing of the past.—Rick Diguette
Rick Diguette2
chiefly US
: a period of time during which someone can join something (such as a health insurance plan) as a member or participant : a period of time during which a person can enroll in something
Just one in four people who buy their own insurance or who are uninsured could name the correct deadline (December 15) for open enrollment, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll taken last month.—Dylan Scott
Dylan ScottExamples of open enrollment in a Sentence
Many voters support open enrollment.
the city's open enrollment policy
Employees can sign up for new benefits during open enrollment.
Recent Examples on the Web
The concern over their budget and the uncertainty over their health care coverage send her thoughts into yet another worrisome spiral with just two weeks until open enrollment begins.
—Ali Swenson, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
On Wednesday, open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans began in Idaho, offering a preview to the rest of the country of how much monthly premiums are set to increase in 2026.
—Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2025
The private version of Medicare, Medicare Advantage, will hold its open enrollment period between January 1 and March 31.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
If Congress acts quickly, the marketplaces could possibly show the subsidized rates to those who log in to shop as soon as open enrollment begins.
—NPR, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for open enrollment
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Ali Swenson, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
On Wednesday, open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans began in Idaho, offering a preview to the rest of the country of how much monthly premiums are set to increase in 2026.
—Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2025
The private version of Medicare, Medicare Advantage, will hold its open enrollment period between January 1 and March 31.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
If Congress acts quickly, the marketplaces could possibly show the subsidized rates to those who log in to shop as soon as open enrollment begins.
—NPR, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for open enrollment
Cite this Entry
“Open enrollment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20enrollment. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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