How a Special Enrollment Period works
Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Outside those dates, the Marketplace only lets you enroll or change plans if something specific happened in your life. That's a Special Enrollment Period, or SEP.
In most cases you have 60 days after the event to pick a plan. Miss the 60 days and you wait for the next Open Enrollment. Coverage usually starts the first of the month after you choose a plan. For a birth or adoption it can start the day of the event.
- Open Enrollment opens
- Last day to pick a plan that starts January 1
- Open Enrollment ends. Plans picked from Dec 16 start February 1
After that you need a Special Enrollment Period (a life event like losing coverage, moving, marriage or a baby). Medicaid and Florida KidCare take applications any time.
Source: HealthCare.gov dates for 2027 coverage
We are not HealthCare.gov or a government website. When you enroll through us you finish the Marketplace application on HealthSherpa, a private site connected to the federal Marketplace. The Marketplace decides whether your event qualifies.
Life events that usually qualify
| Event | What to know |
|---|---|
| Losing job-based coverage | Leaving a job, losing hours or aging off a parent's plan at 26 all count. You can apply up to 60 days before the coverage ends and up to 60 days after. |
| Losing Medicaid or KidCare | If you or your child no longer qualify, you can move to a Marketplace plan. |
| COBRA running out | When COBRA reaches the end of its term, that counts as losing coverage. |
| Moving to a new area | A move to a ZIP code or county with different plans. In most cases you need to have had health coverage for at least one day in the 60 days before the move. |
| Getting married | Either spouse can enroll, and you can add each other to one plan. |
| Having a baby or adopting | Coverage can start the day of the birth or adoption, so the child is covered from day one. |
The Marketplace may ask for proof, like a letter from your old insurer showing the end date, a lease or utility bill for a move, or a marriage or birth certificate. Keep those papers handy and send them by the deadline in the notice.
If a baby is on the way or a parent's job is changing, read our family health insurance page too. Leaving work before 65? See early retiree coverage.
What does not count
These surprise people. None of them opens a Special Enrollment Period on its own:
- Dropping COBRA on purpose, or not paying it. Only COBRA running out at the end of its term counts.
- Losing a plan because you didn't pay the premiums.
- Getting sick or getting a diagnosis. ACA plans don't ask about your health, and they also won't let you enroll mid-year just because you need care.
- Wanting a different plan or a lower price.
- Losing a fixed indemnity plan or any other plan that isn't minimum essential coverage.
If you're not sure whether your situation counts, ask. Licensed agents can check it with you for free, and the chat helps in English or Spanish.
Medicaid and Florida KidCare: any time
Medicaid and CHIP don't have an enrollment season. In Florida, children under 19 can get coverage through Florida KidCare, and you can apply for Medicaid through ACCESS Florida any month of the year.
If your income dropped, check this first. Florida did not expand Medicaid, so many adults with very low income fall into a coverage gap. Children often qualify even when their parents don't.
No qualifying event? Fixed indemnity is open every month
UnitedHealthcare Health ProtectorGuard (HPG), a fixed indemnity plan offered through UnitedHealthOne, accepts applications any month. Some people use it to get through the months until the next Open Enrollment. Before you do, be clear about what it is:
- It pays set cash amounts per service, like $80 per doctor visit or $2,000 per day in the hospital on Select 2000, no matter what the bill is. A real bill can be far higher.
- It has no out-of-pocket maximum. A serious illness can still leave you with large bills.
- It is not minimum essential coverage, and losing it later doesn't give you a Special Enrollment Period.
- Health questions apply, and pre-existing conditions can be limited. Check the brochure.
- Office visits have a combined cap per calendar year, for example 4 on Select 2000 and 10 on Premier 5000. Counseling visits aren't covered the way ACA plans cover them.
It does include HealthiestYou by Teladoc Health for 24/7 virtual doctor visits and an Optum Perks prescription discount card. See how it stacks up on ACA vs fixed indemnity, and what it pays for a stay on our hospital indemnity page. When Open Enrollment comes around, you can still move to an ACA plan.
If you've had a qualifying event
Don't sit on it. Count 60 days from the date of the event and pick a plan well before the last day. Our quote form shows Marketplace plans with your estimated tax credit already taken off, with no account or phone number needed.
You get the same tax credit rules with a Special Enrollment Period as in Open Enrollment. If the event changed your income or household, update that on the application too, so your credit matches your real situation.
Common questions
How long do I have to enroll after a life event?
Usually 60 days from the event. If you're losing coverage, you can also apply up to 60 days before it ends, which helps you avoid a gap.
Is quitting my job a qualifying event?
Losing your job-based coverage is, even if you left by choice. What doesn't count is dropping COBRA, or not paying it, once you have it.
Can I get Obamacare in the middle of the year if I get sick?
Not because of the illness alone. You'd need a qualifying life event, or you wait for Open Enrollment. Medicaid and KidCare are open any time if you might qualify.
Does moving within Florida count?
If the new home is in a different ZIP code or county, it usually does. You generally need to have had coverage for at least one day in the 60 days before the move.
Do I need proof of my life event?
The Marketplace may ask for documents, like a letter showing when your old coverage ended. Send them by the deadline in the notice so your coverage isn't delayed or canceled.