Special Enrollment is a time outside the yearly Open Enrollment Period when you can sign up for health insurance.
You qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if you’ve had certain life events, including:
- losing health coverage
- moving
- getting married
- having a baby, or adopting a child
If you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, you usually have up to 60 days following one of the events listed above to enroll in a plan. If you miss that window, you have to wait until the next Open Enrollment Period to apply.
Note: You can enroll in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) any time of year, whether you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period or not.