45 CFR 155.420 · Updated October 24, 2026
Lost coverage, moved, turned 26? Check your enrollment window
Outside open enrollment you can buy a marketplace plan only within 60 days of a qualifying life event: losing other coverage, moving, getting married, or having or adopting a child. Losing coverage also lets you sign up 60 days early. Pick what happened and the date to see your window.
Your enrollment window
For example, if your job coverage ends on November 30, your window runs from October 1 to January 29, and a plan picked before November 30 starts December 1.
Federal rules for HealthCare.gov states. State-run exchanges follow the same rules but can allow longer windows. HealthInsurance.help is not a government site and can't grant or confirm eligibility.
In your window now?
Check your 2027 credit first, then apply on HealthCare.gov or your state's exchange. Applying is free. For free one-on-one help, find a Navigator at localhelp.healthcare.gov.
Every federal rule in one table
| Event | Window | Coverage starts | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Losing job-based coverage, Medicaid, CHIP or a parent's plan | 60 days before to 60 days after the loss | Day after old coverage ends, if you picked a plan before the loss | Voluntarily dropping coverage or not paying doesn't count |
| COBRA runs out | 60 days before to 60 days after | Same as above | Dropping COBRA early doesn't count |
| Permanent move | 60 days after (HealthCare.gov also allows reporting 60 days before) | 1st of the month after you pick | You needed coverage for at least 1 of the 60 days before the move |
| Marriage | 60 days after | 1st of the month after you pick | One spouse needed coverage for at least 1 of the 60 days before |
| Birth, adoption, foster placement, child support order | 60 days after | The date of the event | None |
| Newly eligible for a premium tax credit | 60 days | 1st of the month after you pick | Applies to specific changes, such as a job-based offer ending or becoming unaffordable |
Turning 26
Coverage on a parent's plan ends because you turn 26, and that loss opens a 60-day window on each side. When it ends depends on the plan: many job-based plans stop at the end of the month of your birthday, while a parent's marketplace plan can usually keep you through December 31. Ask the plan for the exact date in writing.
At 26 you're on your own tax return in most cases, so the credit is figured on your income alone. A 26-year-old earning $35,000 is at 219% of the 2026 poverty line, so for 2027 the benchmark silver plan costs them about 7.5% of income, roughly $219 a month, however high its sticker price.
Proof you may be asked for
HealthCare.gov checks many special enrollments before coverage starts. Keep the letter or notice that shows the date: an employer letter or COBRA notice, a Medicaid termination notice, a lease or utility bill at the new address, a marriage certificate or a birth certificate. Upload it when asked; your coverage can be held until it's reviewed.
Get a reminder before the deadline
Email onlySources: 45 CFR 155.420 (eCFR, current as of October 22, 2026); 2027 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters, 91 FR 29526 (May 20, 2026); Pub. L. 119-21, section 71304; HealthCare.gov open enrollment dates page (checked October 24, 2026); IRS Rev. Proc. 2026-26.
Questions people ask
How long is a special enrollment period?
Usually 60 days from the event. For losing coverage you can also pick a plan up to 60 days before the coverage ends, which lets you avoid any gap.
Is there still a special enrollment period for low income?
No. The monthly special enrollment period for people under 150% of the poverty line paused for 2026 and was removed for 2027, and federal law no longer allows a premium tax credit for coverage bought through an income-based window.
Does quitting my job give me a special enrollment period?
Yes. Losing job-based coverage qualifies whether you quit, were laid off or were fired. What does not qualify is dropping coverage on your own while the job continues, or stopping payment on a plan.
What if I miss the 60 days?
You wait for open enrollment, which runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. Medicaid and CHIP take applications any time, so check those if your income has dropped.