If you miss the Open Enrollment deadline, you generally cannot enroll in or change an ACA Marketplace plan until the next Open Enrollment period, unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP).
A Special Enrollment Period opens for 60 days when you experience a qualifying life event (QLE). Common qualifying events include:
- Special Enrollment Period (SEP): If you experience a qualifying life event (job loss, marriage, new baby, relocation, and others), you may have a 60-day window to enroll
- Medicaid: If your household income falls below the eligibility threshold, you can apply year-round through HealthCare.gov or your state Medicaid office
- CHIP: Children may qualify for the Children's Health Insurance Program year-round, regardless of whether the parents are eligible
Note: The low-income SEP that previously allowed year-round enrollment based on income alone has been eliminated for 2026. A qualifying life event is now required to enroll outside of Open Enrollment.
If none of those apply, your options outside of Open Enrollment are limited. Medicaid and CHIP are available year-round if you or your children meet income eligibility requirements, regardless of when you apply. For most other people, waiting for the next Open Enrollment period is the only path.
One change worth knowing: starting with the 2027 plan year, the Open Enrollment window is shorter. The 2026 Open Enrollment period (for 2026 coverage) ran November 1, 2025 through January 15, 2026. The 2027 Open Enrollment period runs November 1 through December 15, 2026, with no January extension. Missing the deadline will have bigger consequences going forward.
If you're uninsured right now and think you may have had a qualifying life event recently, it's worth checking quickly. The 60-day SEP window starts from the date of the qualifying event, not the date you realize you need coverage. The sooner you look into it, the more options you may have.
Call us at (305) 330-1277 or Check your coverage options and we'll check whether you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period and what your options are today.
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