How To Buy Health Insurance Outside Of Open Enrollment

In most cases if you experience a qualifying life event you re able to enroll up to 60 days after the event.

How to buy health insurance outside of open enrollment. If you experience certain types of life changes like losing health coverage getting married or having a baby you may qualify for a special enrollment period to enroll in a marketplace plan for 2020. You can find these plans through some insurance companies agents brokers and online health insurance sellers. However you do have some options like short term health insurance to get some coverage until the annual open enrollment period. Unlike marketplace plans that can only be bought through federal or state exchanges during the open enrollment period private or individual health insurance plans can be bought anytime during the year. Certain life events qualify you for a special enrollment period.

Open enrollment for most states is from nov. Buying health insurance outside of open enrollment the official open enrollment deadline to purchase personal health insurance was march 31 but there were a couple of extensions and exceptions made. States with their own exchanges usually offer expanded open enrollment. Through medicaid or the children s health insurance program chip note that you can purchase dental or vision insurance plans outside of open enrollment so you can apply for one of these anytime. Now we re well past the deadline and extensions yet there are plenty of reasons why someone may need to purchase health insurance between now.

The only way you can enroll in a health plan through the marketplace outside open enrollment is if you qualify for a special enrollment period. If you don t qualify for lower costs based on your income you can get coverage 4 ways according to healthcare gov. This means you can enroll in or change your health insurance plan outside the standard open enrollment period. Directly from an insurer. You can contact any health insurance company and see plans available in your area.

For instance states with expanded open enrollment for 2021 plans are. Many have websites that let you compare all plans available from that company. A qualifying life event is a significant change in your life that would make you eligible to enroll outside of an open enrollment period. 2 ways to get 2020 health insurance with a special enrollment period. To enroll in health insurance outside of an open enrollment period you ll need to experience a qualifying life event which triggers a special enrollment period sep.

The marketplace doesn t list or offer these plans. What is a qualifying life event. For some types of special enrollment events special enrollment periods last 60 days from the date of the qualifying event see. You can purchase or make changes to individual health insurance during the open enrollment period. If you or your family fall into that category then a private health insurance plan may be your best bet.