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What are Qualifying Life Events?

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Written by Rachel Guo
Updated over 3 weeks ago

Qualifying Life Events are specific life changes that let someone enroll in or change Marketplace coverage outside the Open Enrollment Period. They usually fall into two main groups:

Losing Coverage

  • Losing your employer-sponsored coverage

  • Employer dropping coverage

  • Losing Medicaid or CHIP eligibility

  • Turning 26 and losing a parent’s plan

    • Please Note: If you’re on a parent’s Marketplace plan, you can stay covered on their plan through December 31 of the year you turn 26 (or the age permitted in your state).

  • Moving or relocating and losing coverage as a result

  • COBRA expiring

Life Events

  • Having a baby (event is for the infant only)

  • Becoming a U.S. citizen

  • Getting married

  • Getting divorced and losing coverage

  • Getting out of prison or jail

  • Adopting a child (event is for the child only)

  • Placing a child for adoption

  • Gaining status as a member of a federally recognized tribe

This is a summary of the most common Qualifying Life Events. For timing rules and the full list of qualifying events and special situations, visit HealthCare.gov.

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