Health

Ohio Medicaid open enrollment opens today: members have until Nov. 30 to pick a plan

Columbus, Ohio • November 1, 2026 • By Press Pass USA

Editorial illustration: a family reviewing health insurance paperwork together at a table with a laptop

Editorial illustration — Press Pass USA

Ohio Medicaid's annual managed care open enrollment opened today, November 1, and runs through November 30, 2026 — the one month each year when members can review the available managed care plans and pick the one that best fits their health care needs.

Members can make their selection any time on or before November 30. Coverage under a new plan begins on the first day of the month following the selection — so a choice made in November takes effect December 1. Members who want to keep their current plan do not have to take any action.

There are three ways to switch: online through the Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline portal at ohiomh.com, by calling the Consumer Hotline at 800-324-8680 (TTY 711), or by mailing the enrollment form to 505 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215. Hotline representatives are available 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Eastern time.

Medicaid managed care plans cover medical, vision, dental, and behavioral health services as required by law. The Ohio Department of Medicaid points members to its open enrollment FAQ and its 2026 Managed Care Health Plan Comparison Guide, which lays out the services all plans offer as well as each plan's added value-added services, to help compare options. Members were mailed open enrollment letters beginning the first week of August notifying them of the period and the plans available.

Outside the November window, switching is limited — generally to a member's first three months on a plan, or when a member has tried to get help from their plan but continues to have problems finding the care they need. That makes the November window the straightforward moment to change. Separately, members who receive a renewal packet should still complete it to keep their coverage; open enrollment is about choosing a plan, not renewing eligibility.

Sources: Ohio Department of Medicaid (open enrollment notice, 2026); Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline (Change Plans); SubsidyCalc (Oct 31, 2026).