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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Employees can feel heard and supported when their benefits are explained in detail and can have their questions answered at an annual open enrollment meeting. Summer Westerbur, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2024 City, county and school officials had urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach agreement prior to Medicare open enrollment, which runs Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 6 Nov. 2024 Medicare Medicare Advantage enrollees are encouraged to review their plans during open enrollment, which begins today and runs until December 7. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 15 Oct. 2024 Related Articles Hurricane Milton’s floodwaters are hiding a dirty secret Medicare open enrollment starts Oct. 15. Kff Health News, The Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for open enrollment 

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of open enrollment was in 1920

Dictionary Entries Near open enrollment

Cite this Entry

“Open enrollment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20enrollment. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!