Special Enrollment Period (SEP) in Response to COVID-19

If you don’t have health insurance coverage or want to change your current ACA Marketplace health plan, you can SHOP and ENROLL here for an ACA Marketplace plan. You can also get free enrollment help and find out if you may qualify for financial assistance.

Please note, if you’re changing from your current ACA Marketplace plan to a new one, your new coverage will be prospective. This means you may begin the new plan on the next available coverage effective date. Contact your new insurer for details.

​Unlike other SEPs, the Special Enrollment Period (SEP) in Response to COVID-19 does not require additional proof or documentation to purchase and enroll in an ACA Marketplace health plan.

If your insurer contacted you because there was a Display Error in its plan information on HealthCare.gov at the time you enrolled, then you are eligible for an SEP. Your insurer likely included an explanation of what was inaccurately displayed about your plan and an explanation or description of the correct plan information.

You do not need to take any action if you wish to remain enrolled in your health plan with the corrected benefits described in the letter.

Prospective coverage:

If you choose this option, your previous premium payments will not be refunded, and you will need to start paying for the new coverage.

If you select another plan with your current insurer, the amount you have already paid towards your annual deductible and annual maximum out-of-pocket will be transferred to your new plan.

If you select a new plan with different insurer, the annual deductibles and annual maximum out-of-pocket limit will restart at zero, upon your new enrollment effective date.

Retrospective coverage:

If you choose a new plan with a different insurer and choose a retrospective coverage effective date, then your existing issuer will refund any premiums paid by you and will reverse all claims paid under the initial plan.

Your new insurer will collect your new portion of premium and will be responsible for all covered services. You will need to pay premiums directly to the new insurer for all months of coverage back to the initial effective date.

Your annual deductibles and annual maximum out-of-pocket limit will restart at zero, upon your new enrollment date. Your new plan will be responsible for all covered services after you have selected your new enrollment date.

Losing your job-based health coverage, getting married or divorced, having a baby, adopting a child, turning 26 and no longer eligible for your parent’s health insurance, moving to a new zip code or county are included in the list qualifying life events explained here.

You can start your search here to get free enrollment help and to find out if you qualify for financial assistance.

You can also call (800) 318-2596 to speak to a customer service representative.

​After you select a plan and enroll, you may begin the new plan on the next available coverage effective date. In most instances, this will be first day of the month. Contact your insurer for details. 

You may be eligible for other SEPs, such as the Qualifying Life Event SEP.

Also, you may qualify for Medicaid, or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). You can click on Shop/Enroll to answer three questions to help us guide you to the ACA Marketplace or to Medicaid.