Didn’t sign up during work’s open enrollment, so now I’m uncovered through EOY

Panicking right now. Just received an email from my HR department confirming that I "currently have no health insurance."

Some background:

Last year, my employer transitioned health insurance providers from Kaiser to Anthem. I was previously under the Kaiser plan. Open Enrollment was in October. We were apparently notified around September. I was going through a really challenging loss in my personal life and also some issues at work around then so I made the apparently huge mistake of not signing up for Anthem through Open Enrollment. I just wasn't paying attention enough. Completely my fault. I haven't had to use my health insurance until now. My Kaiser insurance expired at the beginning of this year.

My work basically told me that I have to wait for Open Enrollment for the 2024 year to open and until January 1, 2024 to have health insurance again.

I don't even have the original emails communicating the health provider change, though I'm sure they sent it since some of my coworkers told me they're now on Anthem.

What can I do? Would people recommend just buying health insurance until the end of year?

submitted by /u/Professional-Sign-13
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