{"id":11256,"date":"2020-05-26T12:03:31","date_gmt":"2020-05-26T16:03:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=11256"},"modified":"2020-08-04T16:36:08","modified_gmt":"2020-08-04T20:36:08","slug":"qualifying-life-event-for-health-insurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/qualifying-life-event-for-health-insurance\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a qualifying life event for health insurance?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you’ve recently gotten married or had a baby, you’re probably wondering what to do about changing your health insurance plan. Significant changes like this can affect your eligibility for health insurance. Let’s take a look at qualifying life events for Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans and how they impact when you’re able to apply for health insurance.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is a qualifying life event for health insurance?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Qualifying life events (QLEs) are changes to your circumstances that allow you to enroll in health insurance outside of annual open enrollment periods. The ACA defines qualifying events as significant life changes that give someone an immediate need for health insurance, allowing them to enroll or make other changes to their insurance in a Special Enrollment Period. Here are some of the most common qualifying life events that give someone the ability to choose a new health insurance plan or make other changes to their plan outside <\/span>open enrollment period<\/span><\/a>s<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Note: Medicare<\/a> and employer coverage have unique rules, qualifying life events, their own open enrollment periods. The following are qualifying life events for ACA plans.<\/span><\/p>\n

Household changes<\/span><\/h3>\n

Significant changes to your household could qualify you for a <\/span>Special Enrollment Period<\/span><\/a> where you’re allowed to enroll in healthcare outside the normal enrollment timeframe. If you or someone in your home has gotten married, had a baby, adopted a baby, or placed a child for foster care in the last 60 days, you’ll qualify for open enrollment.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you’ve gotten divorced or legally separated in the last 60 days and lost health insurance, you’ll qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. The same is true if you or anyone in your household loses health insurance in the past 60 days, or expects to lose health insurance in the next 60 days. In the unfortunate event that someone on your healthcare plan dies and your eligibility for that plan changes, you’ll qualify for a Special Enrollment Period that allows you to find new healthcare coverage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Residency changes<\/span><\/h3>\n

Changes in residency often allow people to qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. If you are moving into a new zip code or county; into the U.S. from a foreign country; students moving to or away from school; seasonal workers moving to or away from work; or to or from a shelter or transitional housing, you’ll most likely qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Moving somewhere only for medical treatment or vacation does not qualify.<\/span><\/p>\n

You must have had qualifying health insurance for at least one day in the 60 days before your move to qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.\u00a0 However, you don\u2019t need to provide confirmation if you\u2019re moving from a foreign country or U.S. territory.<\/span><\/p>\n

Loss of health insurance\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

If you or someone in your household loses or is expecting to lose health coverage in the next 60 days, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. The health insurance policy you’re about to lose must check one or more of the following boxes for you to be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period:<\/span><\/p>\n