The open enrollment period for Covered California begins this November, but you may be able to enroll outside of this period if you have a qualifying life event. Medi-Cal has no restrictions on enrollment, and those who meet the financial qualifications can enroll at any time.
What Are Qualifying Life Events for Enrollment in Covered California?
One of the most common qualifying life events is getting married or entering into a domestic partnership. Additional qualifying life events are:
- Having or adopting a child.
- Changing where you permanently live, causing you to gain access to different Covered California plans.
- Losing your health coverage to a job loss or becoming ineligible for Medi-Cal because of changes to your income.
- You become a U.S. citizen, a national, or a lawfully present individual.
- Being a member of a federally recognized American Indian or Alaska Native tribe (these individuals are entitled to enroll in health insurance or change their health insurance plan once a month, regardless of open enrollment).
- Income changes that make you eligible for a Covered California plan (for example, as a result of your income dropping, your cost of health coverage through your employer exceeds 9.5% of your income).
If you’ve had a significant drop in income you may also qualify for Medi-Cal. Individuals with incomes of less than $16,105, or a family of four with a total income of less than $32,913 qualifies for Medi-Cal.
For help determining whether you may be eligible for a Covered California plan outside of open enrollment, call the experts at BenefitPackages. We are certified health insurance agents with special permission to help eligible consumers enroll in plans through the California health insurance exchange.