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.
The open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace is underway and lasts until January 15, 2025, for those looking to buy or change their health insurance. Rhett Buttle, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025 Nearly 24 million Americans are buying their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act — and there's still a week to go for open enrollment sign-ups. Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR, 8 Jan. 2025 Health insurance plans:When is open enrollment for health insurance 2023? Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024 However, sign-ups fell overall during his term, in part due to the administration’s slashing of advertising budgets and halving the open enrollment period. Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes, 11 Dec. 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 18 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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