Although open enrollment for 2016 plans was November 1, 2015 through January 31, 2016 you may still be eligible to qualify for a Marketplace health plan! The federal government does allow for an special enrollment period in which there are several situations that could qualify you for a Marketplace plan outside of open enrollment.
The special enrollment qualifying situations include:
- If you had a baby, adopted a child or take a foster child into your home
In these cases you coverage can be applied retroactively to begin the day of the child’s arrival given you enroll in a plan no later than 60 days after.
or
- You get married
- You lose your health coverage
- You move to a new state
In these cases coverage will start the month after the application was submitted.
Beyond these situations, the federal government does allow special enrollment for those who were not able to apply for coverage during the open enrollment period due to extenuating circumstances. These include:
- Unexpected hospitalization or temporary cognitive impairment
- Natural disaster
- Misinformation or misrepresentation by an enrollment assister
- Technical error between Marketplace and the insurance carrier
- Immigration status error
- Medicaid/Marketplace transition error
- Victims of domestic abuse, violence or spousal abandonment
If you believe that you qualify for special enrollment and are denied you are able to appeal the decision.
*Due to changes in the insurance industry as a result of Affordable Care Act regulation IHS Insurance Group is no longer able to offer Marketplace Health Plans. Please see our “Resources” tab and click the link to the healthcare.gov website if you care to apply.
E. Steele
