Can I qualify for Obamacare after the deadline?

A question we get a lot here at eHealth is, can I still get health insurance or Obamacare if I missed the open enrollment deadline?

The short answer is yes, but it can be difficult.

The Affordable Care Act—Obamacare—allows you to enroll in a health plan outside of the annual Open Enrollment Period, IF you have something called a qualifying event.

So, what’s a qualifying life event?

There is a long list, but these are the most common ones:
1. Loss of existing health coverage because of a job change or job loss
2. Expiration of your COBRA benefits
3. Permanently moving to a new city or state
4. Changes in your family due to marriage, divorce, birth of a child, or loss of a loved-one
5. Turning 26 years old and losing coverage from your parents’ health plan
6. Certain changes in your income
7. The loss of eligibility for Medicaid or CHIP
8. Or, changes in disability status, citizenship or immigration status, or incarceration status.

Qualifying life events usually trigger a 60-day Special Enrollment Period when you can change your existing coverage or apply for new coverage.

It’s a good idea to have documentation of your qualifying life event with you when you apply for new coverage -- whether you apply online or offline.

BE AWARE:
Voluntarily canceling your coverage including COBRA, or losing health coverage because you didn’t pay your monthly premium is not a qualifying life event.

If you’re uninsured and don’t have a qualifying life event, you may want to investigate other types of catastrophic health coverage, such as:

• Short Term Health Insurance
• Accident Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
•
• Standalone Dental and Vision Plans

Be aware, none of these alternatives count as qualifying health coverage under Obamacare, and you may still be subject to a tax penalty.