12 Reasons You Might Be Able to Change Your Health Insurance Plan

We’re now halfway through 2023, and that means halfway through your health insurance coverage year. Open enrollment is still a few months away, and at that time you can make changes to your plan that will take effect beginning January 2024. But what if something has changed in your life this year, and you feel that your health insurance plan no longer suits you? You might be able to qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, and change your plan outside of the usual Open Enrollment Period.

In fact, there are twelve common reasons that qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period (and a few more uncommon ones). If you’ve experienced any of the following events in your life, it’s time to contact an insurance broker to discuss your health insurance plan options:

• Any involuntary loss of coverage
• You’ve gained a dependent, such as through birth or adoption
• You’ve become someone else’s dependent
• You’ve gotten married
• You’ve gotten divorced
• You’ve moved to a new geographic area
• You’ve been released from incarceration
• You’ve just become a US citizen or lawfully present resident
• Your current employer-provided plan becomes unaffordable or no longer provides “minimum value” according to ACA rules
• Your income has increased so that you no longer fall in the coverage gap
• Your income or circumstances have changed such that you’re newly eligible or ineligible for a subsidy
• You’ve gained access to QSEHRA or or individual coverage HRA

Certain other, very uncommon, situations can also qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period. So when in doubt, ask an insurance broker!

When you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, any changes that you make will take effect beginning on the first day of the following calendar month. If you’ve experienced a qualifying life event, or believe you might have, get in touch with us right away and we’ll help you determine eligibility. Then we can sort through your health insurance options together, and identify the plan that works best for your new situation.