Updated August 26, 2026 · current for the 2026 plan year
Open enrollment is closed, but a qualifying life event opens a 60-day window to enroll. Tell us what changed and see whether your window is still open, and exactly how many days are left in it.
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Open enrollment is the one time a year anyone can buy a marketplace plan. A qualifying life event opens a private window just for you, outside that calendar.
You lose job-based coverage, get married, have a baby, move, lose Medicaid, or age off a parent’s plan at 26. Each of these is a qualifying life event.
You have 60 days from the date of the event to choose a plan. If you are losing coverage, the window usually opens 60 days before the loss too, so you can enroll early and never go uncovered.
The marketplace asks for a document: a letter from the insurer, a marriage certificate, a birth record, or proof of your old and new address. Usually due within 30 days of picking a plan.
For most events, the first of the month after you enroll. For a birth or adoption it can be backdated to the day it happened. Miss the 60 days and you wait for November 1.
Yes, if you have had a qualifying life event. Losing job-based coverage, getting married, having a baby, moving to a new county or state, losing Medicaid, or aging off a parent’s plan at 26 all open a special enrollment period. In most cases you have 60 days from the date of the event to pick a plan.
Sixty days from the date of the qualifying life event. If you are losing coverage rather than gaining a household member, the window usually also opens 60 days before the loss, so you can enroll early and avoid a gap in coverage.
You generally wait for open enrollment, which runs November 1 through January 15, with December 15 the cutoff for coverage starting January 1. Medicaid and CHIP have no enrollment window and accept applications year round, so it is always worth checking whether you qualify. An advisor can also tell you whether something you did not think of counts as an event.
It depends on the event. A loss of coverage usually needs a letter from the employer or insurer showing the last day of coverage. A marriage needs the certificate, a birth needs the birth certificate or hospital record, and a move needs proof of both the old and new address. Documents are typically due within 30 days of picking a plan, and coverage can be held up until they are in.
Both. What matters is that you lost the coverage, not why. Voluntarily leaving a job, being laid off, being fired, or having your hours cut below the eligibility threshold all open the window. Choosing to drop your employer plan while still employed generally does not.
Because a 60-day window is short and the answer usually needs a follow-up: which plans are actually sold in your ZIP, what document the marketplace will want, and whether your coverage can start without a gap. Your email is optional. There is no cost and no obligation.