What is a Qualifying Event (also known as Special Enrollment)?
You can typically only enroll in Covered CaliforniaTM during a set time called “open enrollment.” A special enrollment allows you to enroll in or make changes to your health insurance plan outside this open enrollment period. To qualify for special enrollment, you must have a qualifying life event and enroll within 60 days from the date of that event.
How do you qualify for special enrollment?
- You get married or enter into a domestic partnership
- You have or adopt a child, or place a child in adoption or in a foster home
- You lose your health coverage, including no longer being eligible for Medi-Cal or losing your coverage through your job
- You change where you permanently live or move to another region of the state where plan options are different
- You are released from jail or prison
- You have exhausted your COBRA coverage
- You are already enrolled in a Covered California plan and you become newly eligible or ineligible for tax credits based on your income
- You turn 26 and can no longer be covered by your parents’ plan
- You’re no longer covered by a college health plan
- You return from active-duty military service
- You become a citizen, national or lawfully present individual
- If you are a member of a federally recognized American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, you can enroll anytime and change plans no more than once per month
- If you applied for health coverage through Covered California before March 31st or Medi-Cal after March 31st and feel you were incorrectly denied
- If your enrollment was wrong due to an error, misrepresentation or misconduct of your health insurance company, Covered California or a non-Covered California entity
- Covered California determines you experienced an exceptional circumstance
To find out about other qualifying life events, visit CoveredCA.com.
