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ACA Special Enrollment Period: Qualifying Life Events

Lost your job, had a baby, or moved to a new state? These life events can open a Special Enrollment Period outside the usual window.

6 min readReviewed for the 2026 plan year

Common Qualifying Events

  • Losing employer-sponsored health coverage
  • Getting married or divorced
  • Having a baby or adopting a child
  • Permanently moving to a new ZIP code or state
  • Losing Medicaid or CHIP eligibility
  • A change in income that affects subsidy eligibility

How Much Time You Have

Most qualifying events open a 60-day window from the date of the event to enroll in or change Marketplace coverage.

Key Takeaways

  • Qualifying life events open a Special Enrollment Period outside annual Open Enrollment.
  • You typically have 60 days from the event to act.
  • Documentation of the event may be required to verify eligibility.

Qualifying events and documentation requirements are set by federal and state rules and may change.

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