Now that the Open Enrollment Period (OEP) has ended, you’ll need to experience a qualifying life event to enroll in a qualified health insurance plan.
Under the Affordable Care Act – Obamacare – you can typically sign up for a health insurance plan only during the annual Open Enrollment Period. For health coverage starting in 2014, open enrollment ended on March 31, 2014.
If you need medical insurance for next year, open enrollment is scheduled to start again on November 15 and scheduled to end on February 15 of next year. These dates are subject to change, and may vary from state to state and insurer to insurer.
If you miss the Open Enrollment Period, you’ll need to have a “qualifying life event” or some specific limited circumstances allowed by law to be able to enroll in a new major medical health plan or change your existing coverage. In most cases, a qualifying life event will trigger a 60-day Special Enrollment Period (SEP) during which you can change your existing coverage or apply for a new plan.
If you do experience a qualifying life event, MrHealthInsurance.Net can help you find a major medical health plan that fits your needs, as well as see if you qualify for a government subsidy to help pay for it.
Examples of qualifying life events
For the purpose of triggering a Special Enrollment Period, these are some of the qualifying life events allowed by law:
Loss of existing health coverage because of a:
Job change
Job loss
Changes in your family due to:
Marriage or divorce
Birth or adoption of a child
Death of a family member
Permanently moving to a new location, that has a different:
Coverage area
Loss of eligibility for:
Medicaid
CHIP (Child Health Insurance Plan)
Expiration of your COBRA benefits
Graduating college or losing coverage from your parent’s health plan
Gaining or losing a dependent
Change in disability status
Certain changes in your income
Changes in your household size
More about Special Enrollment Periods
If you have a qualifying event that triggers a special enrollment period, we recommend that you have documentation of your qualifying life event with you when you apply for new coverage – whether you apply online or offline.
You should also be aware that you’re not likely to qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if you voluntarily cancel your existing coverage or lose it because you didn’t pay your premiums or other bills.
To see if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period and possibly government assistance to help pay for your medical insurance, take a look at your health plan options now.