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Special Enrollment Periods
Coverage after a qualifying life event
Lost coverage, moved, married or had a baby? A qualifying life event can open a window to enroll outside the normal season.
How Special Enrollment Periods works
Special Enrollment Periods exist because life does not follow the enrollment calendar. A qualifying life event opens a limited window (usually 60 days for Marketplace coverage, and varying periods for Medicare) during which you can enroll in or change plans outside the standard season. Common triggers include losing job-based coverage, moving to a new coverage area, getting married or divorced, having or adopting a child, aging off a parent's plan at 26, gaining citizenship, or leaving incarceration. For Medicare specifically, additional Special Enrollment Periods apply if you delayed Part B because you had employer coverage, if you move out of your plan's service area, or if your plan leaves the Medicare program. Documentation is usually required, and these windows are strictly enforced, and missing one can mean waiting months and paying a penalty.
Questions
Special Enrollment Periods: common questions
How long do I have to act after a qualifying event?
For Marketplace coverage it is usually 60 days from the date of the event, and for some events you can also apply up to 60 days beforehand. Medicare Special Enrollment Periods vary by trigger. Because these deadlines are strictly enforced, it's worth confirming your window as soon as the event happens.
Does voluntarily dropping my coverage qualify?
No. Choosing to cancel your plan, or losing it because you did not pay your premiums, does not create a Special Enrollment Period. The loss generally has to be involuntary.
Not sure which plan is right for you?
That’s the normal starting point. Tell a licensed agent what matters to you (your doctors, your prescriptions, your budget) and they’ll narrow it down. No cost, no obligation.
When we’re available
- Monday – Friday
- 07:00 – 20:00
- Saturday
- 08:00 – 18:00
- Sunday
- 09:00 – 17:00
Outside these hours, submit a quote request and an agent will call you back on the next business day. TTY users dial 711.
Other options
Related coverage you may also need
Most people combine a primary plan with one or two add-ons.
Important information
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or consult your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
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