Getting insurance through the marketplace doesn’t take a lot of time in most cases. You can fill out your application online, and a lot of people can review plans immediately. In a few cases, the marketplace may request documents from you. You can submit these documents through the portal and usually have an update within a couple of days.
If you’re applying for coverage for 2021 and you apply by the December 15, 2020, deadline, your coverage will begin on January 1, 2021. If you apply for coverage during a special enrollment period, you can usually get coverage that begins the next month.