You can buy health coverage outside of the open enrollment period only when you
have a qualifying life event—through a special enrollment period (SEP). Most SEPs last 60 days from the date of the qualifying life event.
Qualifying life events for a SEP include:
- Getting married or entering a domestic partnership
- Child aging off a plan
- Gaining a dependent or becoming a dependent through marriage, birth, adoption, or placement for adoption or foster care
- Permanently moving to a new area that has different health plan options
- Employer coverage that is not considered minimum essential coverage
- Loosing other healthcare coverage that is considered minimum essential coverage, such as due to job loss or expiration of COBRA
coverage
- Returning from active military service
- Change in eligibility for advanced premium tax credit or cost-sharing subsidies
Please note that voluntarily terminating other health coverage or being
terminated for not paying premiums is not considered a qualifying event.