Wait for Open Enrollment
November 1 to January 15. Enrol by December 15 for a January 1 start, or by January 15 for February 1. Some state-based marketplaces run longer, so the date that binds you depends on where you live.
Outside Open Enrollment
Something changed. You may have a 60-day window.
Most qualifying life events open exactly sixty days, and the clock starts whether or not anyone tells you. Pick your event below and we will compute the actual deadline date.
Every qualifying event, and the catch in each one
Almost every event has a condition attached that trips people up. Those conditions are the reason Special Enrollment applications get denied, so they are written out here rather than buried.
Coverage
Lost job-based health coverage
Window opens earlyThis window uniquely opens 60 days before the coverage ends, so you can enrol in advance and start the new plan the day the old one stops. Voluntarily dropping coverage does not qualify. Being laid off, quitting, or losing hours all do.
Documents required
- Letter from the employer stating the coverage end date
- COBRA election notice if you received one
- Final pay stub showing the premium deduction ending
COBRA coverage ran out
Window opens earlyExhausting COBRA qualifies. Choosing to stop paying for COBRA before it runs out does not, which catches people out every year.
Documents required
- COBRA termination notice showing the exhaustion date
Turned 26 and left a parent plan
Window opens earlyThe window runs from the date coverage actually ends, which is often the end of the birthday month rather than the birthday itself.
Documents required
- Letter from the parent carrier showing the termination date
Household
Got married
60 days from the eventAt least one spouse must have had qualifying coverage for one or more days in the 60 days before the wedding, unless you were living abroad. Coverage generally starts the first of the month after you pick a plan.
Documents required
- Marriage certificate or licence
Divorced or legally separated and lost coverage
60 days from the eventThe divorce alone is not enough. You must have lost health coverage because of it.
Documents required
- Divorce decree or separation agreement
- Letter showing the coverage termination
Had a baby, adopted, or placed a child in foster care
60 days from the eventCoverage is retroactive to the date of birth, adoption or placement, so the child is covered from day one even if you file weeks later.
Documents required
- Birth certificate
- Adoption or foster placement paperwork
Residence
Moved to a new ZIP code or county
Window opens earlyThe move has to change the plans available to you, and you generally need to have had coverage before it. Moving for medical treatment or a temporary stay does not qualify.
Documents required
- Lease, mortgage statement or utility bill at the new address
- Proof of prior coverage for one or more of the 60 days before the move
Status
Income changed enough to change my eligibility
60 days from the eventThis one is narrow. It applies when an income change makes you newly eligible or newly ineligible for a premium tax credit or for cost-sharing reductions, and you are already enrolled in marketplace coverage.
Documents required
- Recent pay stubs
- Signed statement of projected annual income
- Prior year tax return
Became a citizen or gained lawful presence
60 days from the eventAvailable from the date status is granted. There is no prior-coverage requirement for this event.
Documents required
- Naturalisation certificate
- Permanent resident card or other immigration document
Released from incarceration
60 days from the eventNo prior coverage is required. The window runs 60 days from release.
Documents required
- Release paperwork showing the release date
If none of them apply
Check Medicaid and CHIP
Neither has an enrollment window. You can apply on any day of the year, and if your income has dropped you may be eligible now even if you were not in November. Children often qualify for CHIP at incomes well above the adult Medicaid threshold.
What not to buy
Short-term plans and health care sharing ministries are sold hard to people who miss the window. Short-term plans can deny you for pre-existing conditions and cap benefits. Sharing ministries are not insurance and have no legal obligation to pay anything.