Missed Open Enrollment? Special Enrollment Periods explained

The short answer. Outside Open Enrollment, you can enroll in or change a Marketplace plan only if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (HealthCare.gov). Most of them come from a life event in the past 60 days: losing other coverage, moving, getting married, or having or adopting a baby. Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) take applications any time, all year (HealthCare.gov, your options). For 2027 coverage, Open Enrollment on HealthCare.gov runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 (HealthCare.gov, dates and deadlines). States with their own exchange set their own dates; see Open Enrollment 2027 dates by state.

This page is educational, not legal or personalized insurance advice. Every rule links to HealthCare.gov, checked on October 18, 2026.

Life events that can qualify

HealthCare.gov groups the qualifying events into four kinds (source).

Changes in household, in the past 60 days, for you or anyone in your household:

• Got married. Pick a plan by the last day of the month and coverage can start the first day of the next month.
• Had a baby, adopted a child, or placed a child for foster care. Coverage can start the day of the event, even if you enroll up to 60 days afterward.
• Got divorced or legally separated and lost health insurance. A divorce or separation without losing coverage does not qualify.
• A death that causes you to lose your current health plan.

Changes in residence. Moving to a new home in a new ZIP code or county, or to the U.S. from a foreign country or U.S. territory. Moving to or from the place you attend school (students), the place you both live and work (seasonal workers), or a shelter or other transitional housing also counts. Moving only for medical treatment, or staying somewhere on vacation, does not.

Loss of health coverage, in the past 60 days, or expected in the next 60 days. If you lost Medicaid or CHIP, the window is the past 90 days. This includes:

• Job-based coverage, including COBRA, or a family member's employer plan.
• Individual coverage, such as a plan that is discontinued or a plan you lose because you moved out of its service area.
• Coverage through a parent or spouse, including turning 26 (or your state's maximum dependent age).
• Medicaid or CHIP, when you are no longer eligible or your child ages out of CHIP.
• Premium-free Medicare Part A.

More qualifying changes. Becoming a U.S. citizen, leaving incarceration, gaining membership in a federally recognized tribe, starting or ending service in AmeriCorps State and National, VISTA or NCCC, and being affected by an unexpected event or natural disaster such as a hurricane or massive flooding. An employer offer of an individual coverage HRA or a QSEHRA can also qualify; for that one you complete enrollment through the Marketplace Call Center, not online.

Before you apply: what doesn't qualify

HealthCare.gov names these on the same page (source):

• Dropping COBRA on your own, or choosing to stop paying its premiums. COBRA that ends or is no longer available does qualify, and when it ends you have 60 days to enroll.
• Dropping coverage you have as a dependent, unless your household income went down or the change made you eligible for savings on a Marketplace plan.
• A divorce or legal separation that did not end your coverage.
• Moving only for medical treatment, or a vacation stay.
• Losing Medicare Part A because the premium was not paid, or losing only Part B or Part D.

How long you have, and when coverage starts

The clock is usually 60 days from the event. Miss it and the Special Enrollment Period has passed: you cannot enroll in a Marketplace plan until the next Open Enrollment, unless another event qualifies you (HealthCare.gov, confirm a Special Enrollment Period).

Sources: HealthCare.gov, confirm a Special Enrollment Period and Special Enrollment Periods. Coverage does not start until you pay your first premium to the insurance company.

Documents you may have to send

When you apply, you attest that the information is true, including the event that qualifies you. You may be asked to send documents that confirm it (HealthCare.gov):

1. You find out after you submit the application. Your Marketplace Eligibility Notice says what to send.
2. HealthCare.gov says it is best to pick a plan first. After you pick, you have 30 days to send the documents.
3. For lost coverage, the documents must show the coverage you lost and the date it ended.
4. Uploading is fastest. You can also mail photocopies, never originals.
5. You cannot use the coverage until the Marketplace confirms your eligibility and you pay your first premium.
6. No acceptable documents? You can send a letter of explanation. If you are turned down and think you qualify, you can appeal.

Your options if you don't qualify

You still have options, though not every one of them is a Marketplace plan:

• Medicaid and CHIP take applications any time, all year. If you qualify, you can enroll immediately (HealthCare.gov, your options).
• Plans sold outside the Marketplace. HealthCare.gov confirms you can buy a plan outside the Marketplace, but the only way to get the premium tax credit and other savings is through the Marketplace (HealthCare.gov, renew or change your plan). America First Healthcare helps households with plans sold outside the Marketplace all year, and tells you what each one is before you decide. What each kind covers and leaves out is in private health insurance in the USA.
• The next Open Enrollment. HealthCare.gov's window opens November 1 each year. How renewals, plan changes and the first premium work is in the Open Enrollment 2027 FAQ.

How a licensed advisor helps

On a free 15-minute call, a licensed advisor asks about your household, your income, your doctors and your prescriptions, then compares Marketplace plans, private plans and gap coverage with you, with every cost shown. If your current plan already fits, the advisor tells you to keep it. Agents and brokers can enroll you in a Marketplace plan with any savings you qualify for, as long as the enrollment goes through the Marketplace (HealthCare.gov, find local help). Lost a job? Start with health insurance when you're unemployed or losing employer coverage.

FAQ

Can I get health insurance after Open Enrollment ends?

A Marketplace plan, only with a Special Enrollment Period, which usually comes from a life event in the past 60 days. Medicaid and CHIP take applications all year. You can also buy a plan outside the Marketplace, without the premium tax credit.

How long is a Special Enrollment Period?

Usually 60 days from the event. For lost Medicaid or CHIP coverage it is 90 days. If you expect to lose coverage, you can pick a plan up to 60 days before it ends.

Does losing my job qualify me for a Special Enrollment Period?

Losing the health coverage that came with the job does, including COBRA when it ends or is no longer available. Dropping COBRA on your own, or no longer paying its premiums, does not.

Does moving qualify me?

Moving to a new ZIP code or county can, and so can moving to the U.S. from abroad. Moving only for medical treatment, or staying somewhere on vacation, does not.

What if I miss the 60 days?

Then that Special Enrollment Period has passed. You cannot enroll in a Marketplace plan until the next Open Enrollment, unless another life event qualifies you. Medicaid and CHIP stay open all year.

Do I have to send documents?

Maybe. Your Marketplace Eligibility Notice tells you after you apply. If it asks for them, pick a plan first and send the documents within 30 days. You cannot use the coverage until your eligibility is confirmed and you pay your first premium.