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

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

2

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

Examples 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

Also, rules took effect in 2022 that allow low-income residents to enroll at any time of the year, not just during the annual open enrollment period. —Julie Appleby, NPR, 8 Apr. 2024

Florida leads the country in ACA enrollment, with 4.2 million residents signing up during the recent open enrollment period. —Carmen Sesin, NBC News, 7 Mar. 2024

Kansas lawmakers approved the open enrollment requirement in 2022, as part of a broad K-12 finance bill. —Sarah Ritter, Kansas City Star, 29 Jan. 2024

During open enrollment, which began Nov. 1 and ended on Monday, 213,895 people enrolled in coverage through Maryland Health Connection — the state’s health insurance marketplace. —Angela Roberts, Baltimore Sun, 18 Jan. 2024

If elected to Cudahy School Board, my top priority is to find ways to reduce open enrollment out of Cudahy School District. —Alec Johnson, Journal Sentinel, 29 Jan. 2024

Many Marylanders will continue to have opportunities to sign up for coverage, even though the open enrollment period has closed. —Angela Roberts, Baltimore Sun, 18 Jan. 2024

Americans aged 65 and older endure an advertising bombardment each year during Medicare’s open enrollment period, often leading them to feel confused, overwhelmed, and misled. —Deb Gordon, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the federal 2024 marketplace open enrollment period ran from November 1, 2023, to January 16, 2024, for states using the federal HealthCare.gov platform. —USA TODAY, 25 Jan. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined at sense 2