Special Enrollment

What Is Special Enrollment?

People who experience certain life-changing events qualify for special enrollment to access the Health Insurance Marketplace outside of the open enrollment period (November 1, 2023, to midnight January 16, 2024). These exceptions arise when someone loses insurance, when they lose their job, add a family member due to a birth or adoption, get married, change residence, become a U.S. citizen, or leave incarceration, among other qualifying milestones. Once any of these occur, they have 60 days to sign up for marketplace coverage.

If they do not qualify or wait too long to apply, they will have to wait until the next open enrollment period.

Dan and his family

Changes In Household Residence Current Insurance Can Qualify Your For Special Enrollment

In some cases, you may not qualify for special enrollment and need to sign up during open enrollment. Reach out to a Navigator to see what you qualify for.

A Few Things To Know

  • Answer a few questions to find out if you can enroll in or change a plan for 2023.
  • Already know you qualify? Create an account or log in to an existing one.
  • Before you apply, you can preview 2023 plans and prices based on your income.
  • If you don’t qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, you can apply for a 2024 health plan from November 1, 2023, to January 17, 2024.

Life Changes That Can Qualify You For Special Enrollment

  • Changes in household:
    • Got married. Pick a plan by the last day of the month and your coverage can start the first day of the next month.
    • Had a baby, adopted a child, or placed a child for foster care. Your coverage can start the day of the event — even if you enroll in the plan up to 60 days afterward.
    • Got divorced or legally separated and lost health insurance. Note: Divorce or legal separation without losing coverage doesn’t qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period.
    • Died. You’ll qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if someone on your Marketplace plan dies which causes you to lose your current health plan.
  • Changes in residence:
    • New home in a new ZIP code or county
    • The U.S. from a foreign country or United States territory
    • Place you attend school (if you’re a student)
    • Place you both live and work (if you’re a seasonal worker)
    • Shelter or other transitional housing
  • Loss of health insurance:
    • Job-based coverage
    • Individual health coverage
    • Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage (or were denied Medicaid/CHIP)
    • Eligibility for Medicare
    • Coverage through a family member

More Qualifying Changes

Other situations that may qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period:

  • Gaining membership in a federally recognized tribe or status as an Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) Corporation shareholder
  • Becoming a U.S. citizen
  • Leaving incarceration
  • Starting or ending service as an AmeriCorps State and National, VISTA, or NCCC member

Special Enrollment Resources

Dan riding a Motorcycle

Special Enrollment Specifications

Insurance Eligibility

Health Insurance Tips