February 13, 2020

Recent life change? You may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period

Now that Open Enrollment is over, you can enroll in or change Marketplace coverage only if you have a life event, like getting married, having a baby, or losing health coverage, that qualifies you for a Special Enrollment Period.

Does my life event make me eligible for a Special Enrollment Period?

There are 4 basic types of qualifying life events:

• Loss of health coverage: Losing job-based coverage (whether through yourself or a family member) or eligibility for Medicaid, Medicare, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
• Household changes: Marriage, child birth or adoption, divorce, or death
• Residence changes: Certain household moves, like moving to a new ZIP code or county
• Other qualifying events (like income changes): Changes that make you no longer eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), leaving incarceration, etc.

See the full list of life events.

How do I apply for 2020 coverage through a Special Enrollment Period?

• If you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, create an account or log into an existing one to enroll in a plan for 2020.
• You may be asked to submit documents to confirm the life event that makes you eligible.

Not sure your life event counts as a Special Enrollment Period? Just answer a few quick questions to find out.