Open enrollment for ACA insurance plans follows a set calendar, which can be easy to miss. But if you’ve missed the deadline, you don’t have to go without healthcare coverage.
Your next steps depend on your situation and timing, so it helps to understand what’s available. Here are five ways you may be able to get healthcare coverage if you missed this year’s Open Enrollment Period (OEP).
What to do if you missed the ACA Open Enrollment Period
The annual Affordable Care Act (ACA) OEP typically runs from November 1 to January 15.1 It falls during a busy time of year so it can be easy to miss.
If you’re not sure where to begin after you miss the ACA Open Enrollment Period, start with these steps:
- Check if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). You may be able to enroll in a health plan outside of the OEP if you’ve had a qualifying life event.
- Explore COBRA. If you lost your job recently and your employer offers it, COBRA lets you keep your employer-sponsored plan for a limited time.
- Consider flexible coverage options. You can enroll in short term limited duration insurance or extended short term health insurance plans at any time.
- See if you qualify for Medicaid or CHIP. These programs offer low- or no-cost coverage and are you can enroll at any time.
- Explore supplemental coverage. These plans are also available at any time and allow you to pick and choose the type of healthcare coverage you want to supplement your primary health insurance plan.
You still have options for coverage even if you missed the annual ACA Open Enrollment Period. Call a licensed insurance agent at 1-844-211-7730 to explore options in your area.
Check if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP)
A Special Enrollment Period (SEP) is a 60-day window where you can enroll in an ACA health insurance plan outside of the standard window.2 To qualify for an SEP, you need to have a qualifying life event (QLE).
What counts as a qualifying life event?
QLEs are typically big life changes. Common examples include:3
- Loss of job-based coverage or other qualifying coverage, such as Medicaid
- Moving to a new ZIP code or state
- Marriage, birth or adoption
- Turning 26 and leaving a parent’s plan
What’s new
Not all QLEs are easy to spot. Recent changes to premium tax credits may create what’s known as a “subsidy cliff.” This means if your income goes above a certain level, you may no longer qualify for financial help in the form of premium tax credits and could face higher monthly premium costs.4
A change in your income, however, may open a 60-day QLE window to look at other coverage options.
Use COBRA to keep your current plan
COBRA stands for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. If you recently lost a job, COBRA may let you keep your current health plan for a limited time.5
This option may help if:
- You have a chronic condition
- You’ve already met your deductible for the year
- You’re in the middle of treatment
You usually have 60 days to enroll after your employer coverage ends.5
Compare flexible coverage options
Short term health insurance and extended short term health insurance are types of limited duration health coverage. You can apply for both types of plans outside of the ACA Open Enrollment Period.
Short term health insurance
If you are approved for these plans, coverage can begin as soon as the next day and last nearly 12 months.6 Short term health insurance requires medical underwriting. Medical underwriting is a process that involves a review of your medical history before it can be approved. So the plan’s approval isn’t guaranteed.
Short term health insurance plans are not ACA plans. They do not meet all federal requirements to qualify as “minimum essential coverage,” and the plans do not include all the essential health benefits that ACA plans include. They also do not provide coverage for preexisting conditions. Before applying, review what is covered and make sure the plan fits your needs.
Extended short term health insurance
Extended short term health insurance also offers non-ACA coverage that can last up to nearly 3 years in most states.7
Extended short term health insurance also requires medical underwriting and does not include all the essential health benefits that ACA plans include. These plans usually do not provide benefits during the first 12 months for a preexisting condition. Preventive care may have a waiting period. If you are approved, these plans offer continuous coverage until you’ve reached the plan’s maximum length. This means you don’t need to reapply each year.
Missed the ACA Open Enrollment Period and need coverage? Call a licensed insurance agent at 1-844-211-7730 to see how short term health insurance plans could fill a gap between major medical policies for a limited period of time.
See if you qualify for Medicaid or CHIP
Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provide no- or low-cost healthcare coverage for people who meet certain income and eligibility requirements.8
These programs are available year-round, so you can apply at any time. Specific rules and eligibility may vary by state.
Consider supplemental coverage options
While supplemental plans won’t offer all the minimum essential benefits that an ACA plan would, they pair well with medical insurance plans to help round out your healthcare coverage.
Common options include:
- Hospital and doctor insurance
- Accident insurance
- Critical illness insurance
- Dental and vision coverage
Putting it all together
It can be helpful to review your options side by side. Your next step may depend on your income, recent life changes or how long you need non-traditional healthcare coverage.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the plans that can work in different scenarios.
| If you: | One option to consider: | Key benefit: |
| Just moved out of state | Special Enrollment (SEP) | You can choose from plans that offer full ACA benefits. |
| Recently lost your job | COBRA (Note: Job loss also triggers an SEP.) | While the monthly premium may cost more than it did when you were employed, you can keep your current health plan and doctors on COBRA. |
| Are having financial troubles | Medicaid | This healthcare coverage is typically available at no- or low-cost. |
| Are looking for coverage that begins quickly when you’re between major medical plans | Short term health insurance | While this is not ACA coverage with minimum essential benefits, plans can begin as soon as the day after you apply if you’re approved after underwriting. Preexisting conditions are not covered. |
| Want to avoid having to reapply for coverage during periods of transition between major medical plans | Extended short term health insurance | If you’re approved after underwriting, this non-ACA coverage continues to roll over until you’ve hit the maximum plan length. Preexisting conditions may be covered after 12 months. |
Know when the ACA Open Enrollment Period starts again
The OEP usually runs from November 1 to January 15.1 Mark your calendar or set a reminder so you don’t miss the next enrollment window. Taking time to compare plans ahead of time can help you choose coverage that fits your needs.
Need help choosing healthcare coverage during periods of transition? Call 1-844-211-7730 to speak with a licensed insurance agent or explore options online.
Sources:
- HealthCare.gov. “Open enrollment period.” Accessed March 27, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/open-enrollment-period/
- HealthCare.gov. “Special enrollment period (SEP).” Accessed March 27, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/special-enrollment-period/
- HealthCare.gov. “Qualifying life event (QLE).” Accessed March 27, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/qualifying-life-event/
- Healthinsurance.org. “Marketplace enrollees face return of the ‘subsidy cliff’ in 2026.” February 11, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.healthinsurance.org/blog/marketplace-enrollees-face-return-of-the-subsidy-cliff/
- U.S. Department of Labor. “COBRA continuation coverage.” Accessed March 27, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/laws-and-regulations/laws/cobra
- UnitedHealthcare. “Health insurance for life’s in-between moments.” Accessed March 27, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.uhone.com/health-insurance/short-term-health-insurance
- UnitedHealthcare. “Health insurance you can use now — and in the future.” Accessed March 27, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.uhone.com/health-insurance/triterm-medical-insurance
- HealthCare.gov. “Medicaid & CHIP coverage.” Accessed March 27, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.healthcare.gov/medicaid-chip/
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53178-X-0426
