Dated · Ungated · No phone number

Every qualifying life event, and your 60-day clock

Outside Open Enrollment, a life event opens a Special Enrollment Period — usually 60 days. Here's the catalog: which event can start the clock, the usual effective-date rule, and common proof examples. The Marketplace determines the exact window, accepted documents, and coverage start for each application.

You lose job-based coverage

Clock starts: The day your coverage ends (you can also enroll up to 60 days before a known end date to avoid a gap).
Coverage starts: Usually the first of the month after you pick a plan.
Common proof example: A letter from the employer or plan showing the coverage-end date.

Note: Applies to a layoff, quitting, or hours dropping below the benefits threshold.

You turn 26 (aging off a parent's plan)

Clock starts: When your coverage ends — often the end of the month you turn 26, but plans vary, so check yours.
Coverage starts: The first of the month after you enroll.
Common proof example: Proof of prior coverage or a letter showing when it ends.

Note: You get a window both before and after the loss.

You lose Medicaid or CHIP

Clock starts: The date your Medicaid/CHIP coverage ends.
Coverage starts: The first of the month after you choose a plan.
Common proof example: The Medicaid/CHIP denial or termination notice.

Note: Losing this coverage is a qualifying event on its own.

You get married

Clock starts: The date of the marriage.
Coverage starts: Typically the first of the month after you select a plan.
Common proof example: A marriage certificate — plus proof at least one spouse had qualifying coverage in the 60 days before.

Note: That prior-coverage condition catches people out; check it before you count on the window.

You have a baby, adopt, or foster

Clock starts: The date of the birth, adoption, or placement.
Coverage starts: Can be backdated to the date of the event — coverage from day one.
Common proof example: A birth certificate, or adoption/foster placement papers.

Note: One of the few events where coverage can start retroactively.

You move to a new area

Clock starts: The date of your permanent move to a new ZIP or county with different plans.
Coverage starts: The first of the month after you enroll.
Common proof example: Proof of the move and of prior coverage.

Note: Requires that you had qualifying coverage for at least one of the 60 days before the move (some exceptions, e.g. moving from abroad).

You divorce and lose coverage

Clock starts: The date the coverage from your former spouse's plan ends.
Coverage starts: The first of the month after you pick a plan.
Common proof example: Documentation showing when the coverage ended.

Note: Divorce itself isn't the trigger — losing coverage because of it is.

The one rule that matters

Many events use a 60-day window, while some situations use different rules. Act when you know a change is coming, and use the deadline in the official eligibility result. For a planned loss of coverage, you can often enrollbefore it happens and reduce the risk of a gap.

Map my deadlines →

Common questions

How long is a Special Enrollment Period?

Usually 60 days from the qualifying event. For some events — like losing coverage — you can also act up to 60 days before the known end date, which is the best way to avoid a gap. Miss the window and you generally wait for Open Enrollment. Source: HealthCare.gov.

Will I have to prove my life event?

Often, yes. HealthCare.gov may ask for a document confirming the event — the ones listed above by event. Send it promptly; your plan can be held until it's confirmed. Source: HealthCare.gov.

Do you ask for my phone number?

No — there's no phone field anywhere on this site. Tell us what changed and we'll lay out your dated deadlines. No red countdown, no pressure.

Source: HealthCare.gov (Special Enrollment Periods, qualifying life events, and confirming-documents pages). Windows, conditions, and accepted documents are set federally and can vary by situation — confirm yours at HealthCare.gov or your state marketplace. General information, not legal advice. Published February 2026 · Last reviewed: 2026.