Can I buy health insurance?
If you are self-employed, a small business or large business, you can buy health insurance anytime you would like.
If you are an individual shopping for health insurance, there are two different times during the year that you can buy: Open Enrollment and a "Special Enrollment Period" (SEP).
What is Open Enrollment?
It is the yearly period where you can enroll in a health insurance plan without a qualifying event.
The next Open Enrollment runs from November 1, 2024 to January 23, 2025 in Massachusetts and November 1, 2024 to January 31, 2025 in Rhode Island. Enrollments for January 1, 2025 effective date must be received by December 23, 2024. Enrollments for either a February 1, 2025 or, in Massachusetts only, a March 1, 2025 effective date must be received by January 23, 2025.
What is a Special Enrollment Period (SEP)?
Outside of Open Enrollment individuals can enroll in a health insurance plan only if you qualify for a "Special Enrollment Period" (SEP). Please see the chart below for help in determining whether you have a qualifying event that makes you eligible to buy health insurance outside of Open Enrollment.
Small or large businesses may enroll and/or change their plan on the 1st of any month. See Submission Deadlines
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| Qualifying Event | Buy Outside of Open Enrollment? | Effective date? | What Do You Need? | ||
| Can I buy insurance when my COBRA coverage runs out? | Yes -- You qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). | Effective start date can be no more than 60 days after your COBRA coverage has ended. | Loss of Coverage letter from the Carrier that provided your COBRA coverage | ||
| Can I buy insurance if I want to end my COBRA coverage early? | No -- You can’t change until the next Open Enrollment Period, your COBRA runs out, or you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period another way. (See Healthcare.gov) | ||||
| Can I buy insurance if my employer stops contributing to my COBRA coverage? | Yes -- You qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). | Effective start date can be no more than 60 days after your COBRA coverage has ended. (See Healthcare.gov) | Loss of Coverage letter from the Carrier that provided your COBRA coverage | ||
| Can I buy insurance if my COBRA coverage costs increase during renewal time? | No -- You can’t change until the next Open Enrollment Period, your COBRA runs out, or you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period another way. (See Healthcare.gov) | ||||
| Can I buy insurance if my COBRA coverage ended due to non-payment by my former employer? | Yes -- You qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). | Effective start date can be no more than 60 days after your COBRA coverage has ended. (See Healthcare.gov) | Loss of Coverage letter from the Carrier that provided your COBRA coverage | ||
| Can I buy insurance if my COBRA coverage ended due to non-payment by me? | No -- You can’t buy until the next Open Enrollment Period, your COBRA runs out, or you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period another way. | ||||
| Can my child/young adult who "aged off" of my health plan buy insurance? | Yes — They qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). | The dependent is eligible to buy a plan the first of the month after leaving the family plan. Effective start date must be within 60 days after they have aged off. | Loss of Coverage letter from the Carrier that provided your family coverage. | ||
| Can I remove my Spouse or Child from my employer-based plan and buy them a policy? | No -- You can’t change until the next Open Enrollment Period. (See Healthcare.gov) | ||||
| I lost MassHealth Coverage, can I buy insurance? | Yes -- you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). | Effective start date can be no more than 60 days after your MassHealth coverage has ended. | Loss of Coverage letter from MassHealth. | ||
| I lost my insurance from a job recently, can I buy insurance? | Yes -- you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). | Effective start date can be no more than 60 days after your employer-provided coverage has ended. | Loss of Coverage letter from the Carrier that provided your employer-provided coverage. | ||
| I've changed jobs, and am no longer in my insurance carrier's service area, can I buy insurance? | Yes -- you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). | Effective start date can be no more than 60 days after you've changed jobs. | Loss of Coverage letter from the Carrier that provided your previous coverage. | ||
| I've moved, and am no longer in my insurance carrier's service area, can I buy insurance? | Yes -- you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). | Effective start date can be no more than 60 days after you've moved. | Loss of Coverage letter from the Carrier that provided your previous coverage. | ||
| I'm turning 19 years old and no longer qualify for a child-only plan, can I buy insurance? | Yes -- you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). | Effective start date can be no more than 60 days after you turned 19. | Loss of Coverage letter from the Carrier that provided your previous coverage. | ||
| The primary subscriber on my insurance plan is Medicare eligible. Can I buy insurance? | Yes -- you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). | Effective start date can be no more than 60 days after the primary subscriber became Medicare eligible. | Loss of Coverage letter from the Carrier that provided your previous coverage. | ||
| The primary subscriber on my insurance plan recently passed away. Can I buy insurance? | Yes -- you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). | Effective start date can be no more than 60 days after the primary subscriber passed away. | Loss of Coverage letter from the Carrier that provided your previous coverage. | ||
| I recently had a baby, can I buy insurance? | Yes -- The Newborn qualifies for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). | Effective start date can be no more than 60 days after the birth of the child. The effective date for this QE is always the DOB | The Date of Birth on the enrollment form serves as proof of eligibility. | ||
| I recently adopted a child, can I buy insurance? | Yes -- you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). | Effective start date can be no more than 60 days after the adoption of the child. | Adoption papers. | ||
| I recently got married, can I buy insurance? | Yes -- you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). | Effective start date can be no more than 60 days after the marriage date. | Marriage certificate. | ||
| I recently got divorced, can I buy insurance? | Yes -- you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). | Effective start date can be no more than 60 days after the divorce date. | Court order | ||
| I have become a lawfully present individual. Can I buy health insurance? | Yes -- you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) | Effective date can be no more than 60 days after you have become lawfully present | Green Card | ||
| I was recently incarcerated and released from jail. Can I buy health insurance? | Yes -- you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) | Effective date can be no more than 60 days from the date of your release | Release or discharge papers from the facility | ||
| My application was denied due to my last coverage date was more than 60 days and I applied to the state for a waiver and was granted the waiver. Can I buy health insurance? | YES -- you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) | Effective date must be no more than 60 days from the date you received your waiver | Office of Patient Protection waiver approval letter from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts must be submitted with your application | ||
| I don't like my employer-provided insurance, it's too expensive. Can I drop it and buy an individual plan for myself? | No -- you can’t change until the next Open Enrollment Period. | ||||
| I don't like non-employer provided individual or family insurance, it's too expensive. Can I drop it and buy a less expensive plan? | No -- you can’t change until the next Open Enrollment Period. | ||||
| Can I remove myself and my family from an Employer provided plan and buy insurance on my own? | No -- you can’t change until the next Open Enrollment Period. | ||||
| My employer-provided insurance was canceled for non-payment, can I buy insurance? |
| I canceled my health insurance because I was traveling out of the country. When I return to the USA can I buy health insurance? | No -- you can’t change until the next Open Enrollment Period. |
| No -- you can’t enroll until the next Open Enrollment Period. |