Special Enrollment for Health Insurance

What Is A Special Enrollment Period?

Special Enrollment Periods for health insurance occur outside the Open Enrollment time frame. If you miss the opportunity to sign up for Marketplace health insurance during Open Enrollment (typically November 1 to January 15, although the dates can vary by state), you may still have a chance to sign up during an Affordable Care Act (ACA) Special Enrollment Period if you have a qualifying life event.

How To Qualify For Special Enrollment

To qualify for a Special Enrollment Period outside of Open Enrollment, you typically need to experience a qualifying life event. Some of the most common qualifying life events include:

Change or loss of employment
Losing your existing health coverage, including Medicaid
Moving to a new ZIP code or county
Having a baby or adopting a child
Becoming divorced or separated

Any circumstances that cause you to lose or experience a change in health insurance may make you eligible for a Special Enrollment Period due to a qualifying life event.

How Long Is A Special Enrollment Period?

Since a qualifying life event can happen at any time, you typically have 60 days before or 60 days following the qualifying event to enroll in a plan. In most cases, coverage must be selected by the 15th of the month to be effective the first of the following month.

There are some exceptions (birth or adoption of a child, marriage, and involuntary loss of coverage) that may have different rules for coverage effective dates. Also, when you apply, you may be required to submit documents that confirm your eligibility to enroll based on the life event you experienced.

How Soon Does My Special Enrollment Coverage Start?

Once you’ve enrolled in a health plan during a Special Enrollment Period, you’ll typically need to make your first monthly premium payment prior to the coverage beginning. In some instances, retroactive coverage may be offered based on a past date that aligns to your qualifying life event, such as the birth of a child.

Find The Right Plan During A Special Enrollment Period

A qualifying life event that leads to a Special Enrollment Period can be stressful. Anthem can help you find the right health plan for your needs and budget.

Shop Plans

Qualifying Life Events For Health Insurance

Certain life changes – or qualifying events – can mean you're eligible to change your health insurance options outside of the annual open enrollment period.

Learn more about qualifying life events

Open Enrollment For Health Insurance

When life changes, your health insurance may need to change as well. Open enrollment is the ideal time to make changes to your health insurance plan.

Learn more about open enrollment

Marketplace Health Insurance: How It Works

Understand how the Health Insurance Marketplace works, who qualifies, and when to enroll. Learn more at Anthem.

Learn more about the Health Insurance Marketplace

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of: In Colorado: Rocky Mountain Hospital and Medical Service, Inc. HMO products underwritten by HMO Colorado, Inc. In Connecticut: Anthem Health Plans, Inc. In Indiana: Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. In Georgia: Blue Cross Blue Shield Healthcare Plan of Georgia, Inc. and AMGP Georgia Managed Care Company, Inc. In Kentucky: Anthem Health Plans of Kentucky, Inc. In Maine: Anthem Health Plans of Maine, Inc. In Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area): RightCHOICE® Managed Care, Inc. (RIT), Healthy Alliance® Life Insurance Company (HALIC), and HMO Missouri, Inc. RIT and certain affiliates administer non-HMO benefits underwritten by HALIC and HMO benefits underwritten by HMO Missouri, Inc. RIT and certain affiliates only provide administrative services for self-funded plans and do not underwrite benefits. In Nevada: Community Care Health Plan of Nevada, Inc. and Rocky Mountain Hospital and Medical Service, Inc. HMO products underwritten by HMO Colorado, Inc., dba HMO Nevada. In New Hampshire: Anthem Health Plans of New Hampshire, Inc. HMO plans are administered by Anthem Health Plans of New Hampshire, Inc. and underwritten by either Matthew Thornton Health Plan, Inc. or Anthem Health Plans of New Hampshire, Inc. In 17 southeastern counties of New York: Anthem HealthChoice Assurance, Inc. and Anthem HealthChoice HMO, Inc. In these same counties Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield HP is the trade name of Anthem HP, LLC. In Ohio: Community Insurance Company. In Virginia: Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. trades as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and its affiliate HealthKeepers, Inc. trades as Anthem HealthKeepers providing HMO coverage, and their service area is all of Virginia except for the City of Fairfax, the Town of Vienna, and the area east of State Route 123. In Wisconsin: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin (BCBSWI) underwrites or administers PPO and indemnity policies and underwrites the out-of-network benefits in POS policies offered by Compcare Health Services Insurance Corporation. Compcare underwrites or administers HMO or POS policies. Independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Anthem is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc.

CA: Anthem Blue Cross is the trade name of Blue Cross of California. Independent licensee of the Blue Cross Association. Anthem is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc.

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