Special Enrollment

If you lost your job-based coverage, your coverage will start on the first day of the month after you select a plan.

• You lose Medi-Cal coverage.
• You lose your employer-sponsored coverage.
• Your COBRA coverage is exhausted. Note: Not paying your COBRA premium is not considered loss of coverage.
• You are no longer eligible for student health coverage.
• You turn 19 years old and are no longer eligible for a child-only plan.

You turn 26 years old and are no longer eligible for a parent’s plan.

• You move to California from out of state.
• You move within California and gain access to at least one new Covered California health insurance plan.

• One or both members of the new couple can use the special-enrollment period to enroll in coverage.

• A child is born, adopted or received into foster care. The entire family can use the special-enrollment period to enroll in coverage.
• If you receive a child in foster care, you will need to indicate “adopted a child” in the drop-down menu when you apply.

• For the birth or adoption of a child, or acceptance of a child into foster care, you can choose to have coverage start on:

  • The first day of the month following the birth, adoption, or placement in your foster care of a child.
  • On the date of the birth, adoption or placement in foster care.
  • On the first day of the month following plan selection. 

Read more about this qualifying life event.

Your household experienced an exceptional circumstance, such as California wildfires.

You have lost coverage after leaving active duty, reserve duty, or the California National Guard.

You become a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident.

• You are already enrolled in a Covered California plan and become newly eligible or ineligible for tax credits or cost-sharing reductions.  
• You are already enrolled in a Covered California plan and you lose a dependent or lose your status as a dependent due to divorce, legal separation, dissolution of domestic partnership, or death.

See the full list of qualifying life events.