Silver and Secure

10/23/2026

There Are Two Different Deadlines for ACA Coverage. Know Both.

ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment runs November 1 through January 15, 2027. But there are actually two deadlines that matter -- and they lead to two different coverage start dates.

Enroll by December 15: coverage starts January 1, 2027. Enroll December 16 through January 15: coverage starts February 1, 2027.

That gap matters. If you are losing other coverage on December 31 -- job-based insurance, COBRA, a spouse's plan -- you need your new coverage in place on January 1, not February 1. That means completing your enrollment by December 15.

Most people assume they have until January 15 for January 1 coverage. They do not.

If January 1 is your target start date, plan to complete enrollment in November and give yourself enough time to compare options carefully. Rushing to meet December 15 is better than missing it entirely.

To start your ACA review: https://app.retireflo.com/under65

Silver And Secure 830-406-6654 | [email protected]

10/21/2026

SEPs -- Coverage When Life Does Not Follow the Calendar

Open enrollment windows are designed for planning ahead. Life does not always cooperate.

If a qualifying life event happens outside of open enrollment, a Special Enrollment Period may allow you to make coverage changes without waiting for the next annual window.

For Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, qualifying SEP events include: moving to an address outside your current plan's service area; losing other creditable coverage; qualifying for Extra Help or Medicaid; moving into or out of a skilled nursing or long-term care facility; and your plan leaving Medicare or ending coverage in your area. Medicare SEP changes typically take effect the first of the month following enrollment -- not on a fixed January 1 date like AEP changes.

For ACA Marketplace plans, qualifying SEP events include: losing job-based coverage; losing other Minimum Essential Coverage; moving to a new coverage area; marriage; birth or adoption; and divorce or legal separation that results in loss of coverage. Prior Minimum Essential Coverage is generally required, and you have 60 days from the qualifying event to enroll.

SEP windows are time-limited. If a qualifying event happened recently and you have not acted yet, check whether your window is still open before assuming you have missed it.

Silver And Secure 830-406-6654 | [email protected]

10/19/2026

If You Are Between 60 and 65, November 1 Is Your Date.

Medicare gets most of the attention during this season -- and for good reason. But if you are not yet 65, there is a separate enrollment window that matters just as much for you.

ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment starts November 1.

This is the one time each year when you can enroll in, change, or drop individual health coverage without a qualifying life event. The window runs through January 15, 2027, with December 15 as the cutoff for January 1 coverage.

A few reasons this matters especially if you are in your early 60s:

People in this age range often pay some of the highest ACA premiums by age. Subsidies are income-based -- not asset-based -- and many people qualify for more premium assistance than they realize.

If you are on COBRA, you are paying the full premium your employer used to share. A subsidized Marketplace plan is often substantially less expensive.

If your carrier is leaving the Marketplace for 2027 -- nine have announced exits -- you need to actively select a new plan. Auto-enrollment in a replacement plan is possible but not always the best fit.

To start your ACA review: https://app.retireflo.com/under65

Silver And Secure 830-406-6654 | [email protected]

10/16/2026

AEP Is Open. Here Is How the Process Works.

AEP opened yesterday. Here is exactly how I work with clients during this period.

You complete the intake form. It captures your current plan, your medications, and your doctors. It takes about 5 minutes.

I run the comparison. I look at every plan available in your area for 2027 and identify the options that fit your specific situation -- network, formulary, premium, and out-of-pocket exposure.

We review the results together. I walk you through what I found and give you my honest assessment. If your current plan is still your best option, I will tell you that clearly. If something fits better, we go through the specifics.

You make the decision. I handle the paperwork.

The review is free. Changes take effect January 1. The window closes December 7.

If you are a current client: watch for my outreach over the coming weeks. I review every client's situation during AEP and reach out to anyone I think should take a closer look.

If you are new to Silver And Secure: the intake form below is where we start.

https://medicare.healthsherpa.com/intake/jill-bullock

Silver And Secure 830-406-6654 | [email protected]

HealthSherpa Medicare

10/14/2026

Tomorrow, AEP Opens. Here Is What I Want You to Do.

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period opens tomorrow -- October 15 -- and runs through December 7.

Please do not let your plan auto-renew without a review. Plans change. Networks change. Formularies change. Auto-renewal is not a decision -- it is an absence of one.

Here is what I would like you to do this week: find the ANOC your plan mailed by September 30 and read it. Note anything that looks different from what you expected.

Then complete the intake form below so I can run your comparison properly:

https://medicare.healthsherpa.com/intake/jill-bullock

This takes about 5 minutes on your end. I do the rest.

If you have family or friends on Medicare who tend to let things roll over without looking, this is a good week to mention it to them. The review is free and there is no obligation to change anything.

Silver And Secure 830-406-6654 | [email protected]

HealthSherpa Medicare

10/12/2026

ACA Open Enrollment Opens November 1. What You Need to Know.

If you buy your own health insurance -- or if someone you know does -- ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment opens November 1 for 2027 coverage.

Key dates:

November 1: enrollment opens on healthcare.gov. December 15: deadline to enroll for a January 1 start date. January 15, 2027: enrollment closes. Plans selected after December 15 start February 1.

This is the one time each year you can enroll in or change a Marketplace plan without a qualifying life event. Outside of this window, you need a specific qualifying event and in most cases prior coverage.

A few things worth knowing for 2027: nine carriers have announced they are leaving the Marketplace. If your current carrier is among them, you will need to select a new plan -- auto-enrollment in a replacement plan is possible but active selection is always better.

Subsidies are based on income, not assets. If your income changed this year, your subsidy eligibility may have changed too.

To start your ACA review: https://app.retireflo.com/under65

Silver And Secure 830-406-6654 | [email protected]

Welcome to the Health Insurance Marketplace®. Official government website.

10/09/2026

The Real Cost of Doing Nothing During AEP

The most common thing I hear during this season: "I will probably just keep what I have."

Sometimes that is exactly the right call -- after a real review confirms it.

But "probably just keep what I have" as a default, without actually looking, is how people end up paying a higher premium for the same plan when a comparable option costs less, losing access to a doctor they rely on because the network changed, paying significantly more for a drug that moved to a higher formulary tier, or staying in a plan that no longer fits their health situation.

Plan designs change every year. Health situations change. What worked at 65 is not automatically the right fit at 72.

The review takes less than an hour and costs nothing. It does not obligate you to change anything.

AEP runs October 15 through December 7. If you want to know your current plan is actually still the right fit -- rather than assuming it is -- that is what the review is for.

Start here: https://medicare.healthsherpa.com/intake/jill-bullock

Silver And Secure 830-406-6654 | [email protected]

HealthSherpa Medicare

10/07/2026

Your Medicare Review Starts Here.

AEP opens in eight days -- October 15. If you want to get your Medicare review done before the window opens, this is a good week to start.

The intake form below is how you begin a Medicare plan review with Silver And Secure. It takes about 5 minutes and captures what I need to run a proper comparison: your current plan, your medications, and your doctors.

https://medicare.healthsherpa.com/intake/jill-bullock

Once I have that, I compare your current coverage against 2027 plan options in your area and give you a real picture based on your specific situation -- not a generic overview. Your doctors, your drugs, your plan.

If your current plan is still your best option, I will tell you that directly. If something fits better, we go through exactly why.

The review is free. You pay the same premium whether you work with an independent broker or call the carrier yourself. The difference is whether you are comparing one option or all of them.

Silver And Secure 830-406-6654 | [email protected]

HealthSherpa Medicare

10/05/2026

AEP Is for Medicare. But What If You Are Not on Medicare Yet?

If you are between 60 and 65, AEP does not apply to you directly. But something else does, and it opens November 1.

ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment runs November 1 through January 15, 2027. This is the one window each year when you can enroll in or change a Marketplace health plan without a qualifying life event.

Outside of this window, your only option is a Special Enrollment Period -- and that requires a specific qualifying event such as losing job-based coverage, a move to a new coverage area, or a divorce that results in loss of coverage. Prior Minimum Essential Coverage is generally required. You have 60 days from the qualifying event.

If you are currently on COBRA, paying the full premium your employer used to share, November is a good time to compare. Marketplace subsidies are income-based -- not asset-based -- and many people in the 60-64 age range qualify for more premium assistance than they expect.

To start your ACA review: https://app.retireflo.com/under65

Silver And Secure 830-406-6654 | [email protected]

{"id":"6564ef4d-e3f4-4b52-881a-5110a834d8d7","org_id":"7427e19b-5b5a-4a8f-a103-b974b708a05f","unique_url":"under65","first_name":"Jill","last_name":"Bullock","licenses":"Texas","hometown":"","facebook_url":"www.facebook.com/SilverAndSecure","linkedin_url":"","logo_image_url":"https://retireflo-image...

10/02/2026

Two Enrollment Windows. One Busy Fall.

If you manage health coverage for yourself or your family, this fall has two separate deadlines worth tracking.

Medicare Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 through December 7. Medicare Advantage and Part D plans can be changed during this window. Changes take effect January 1.

ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment: November 1 through January 15, 2027. Individual and family health plans can be enrolled in or changed. Plans selected by December 15 start January 1. Plans selected December 16 through January 15 start February 1.

These windows overlap. If you have Medicare-age family members and also younger family members on a Marketplace plan, both reviews need to happen this fall -- on different timelines.

If you are 63 or 64 and approaching Medicare, this ACA open enrollment may be one of your last. Getting the right plan for this bridge year matters.

Silver And Secure handles both Medicare and ACA reviews. If you want to get either on the calendar, reach out now -- before the season gets busy.

830-406-6654 | [email protected]