Is your special enrollment window still open?
Pick what happened, the date it happened, and your state. You will see whether your 60-day window is open, upcoming, or closed — plus your exact deadline, the documents to gather, and where to enroll.
How we check this
The windows come from the federal Special Enrollment Period rules as published on HealthCare.gov for plan year 2026: losing job-based coverage and aging off a parent’s plan open a window that runs from 60 days before the coverage loss to 60 days after it; a qualifying move opens a 60-day window after the move, with a prior-coverage requirement set by federal regulation (45 CFR 155.420). The math is plain calendar-day counting from the date you enter. State marketplace names, enrollment links, and Open Enrollment dates come from each marketplace’s published 2026 materials, and we flag the two verified state-level differences (Massachusetts moves, New York’s Age 29 option). This checker reports the window — only the marketplace itself can confirm your eligibility, and it may ask for documents before coverage can be used.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to enroll after losing job-based coverage?
- You have 60 days after losing qualifying job-based coverage to enroll in a marketplace plan — and you can apply up to 60 days before a known loss. The clock runs from the day coverage ends, not your last day of work. Missing the window means waiting for the next Open Enrollment unless another qualifying life event occurs.
Does moving always qualify for a Special Enrollment Period?
- No. To qualify, you must have had qualifying health coverage for at least one day during the 60 days before the move. The exceptions: you lived in a foreign country or a U.S. territory during those 60 days, you are a member of a federally recognized Tribe or an ANCSA Corporation shareholder, or you lived somewhere no qualifying marketplace coverage was available. Moving only for medical treatment, or staying somewhere on vacation, does not qualify at all.
When does coverage start after I enroll through a Special Enrollment Period?
- Generally the first day of the month after you pick a plan — it cannot start the same day your old coverage ends. If you enroll before a known coverage loss, the new plan can start the first day of the month after the old one ends, which is the way to avoid a gap. Coverage also cannot be used until any requested documents are confirmed and the first premium is paid.
What if I already missed my 60-day window?
- Then the next guaranteed chance to enroll is Open Enrollment. On HealthCare.gov it runs November 1 to December 15, 2026 for coverage starting January 1, 2027 — a shorter window than in past years. States that run their own exchanges set their own dates, and several end later. A different qualifying life event — marriage, a birth, losing Medicaid or CHIP — can open a new 60-day window sooner.