Open Enrollment 2018 has ended and you don\u2019t have health coverage; so what can you do? Depending on your situation, you may still be able to get health insurance. There are several options for getting health coverage outside of Open Enrollment, and there\u2019s a good chance one of these will work for you.<\/p>\n
The first options to consider are Medicaid and Children\u2019s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), as you can enroll in these programs at any time, if you qualify. Those who can qualify for Medicaid include low-income households and disabled people. If you don\u2019t qualify for Medicaid, CHIP is a good option that is intended to cover your children (and pregnant women in some states).<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve had a major life event, you might qualify for a Special Enrollment Period of 60 days following the event. Household events that qualify include:<\/p>\n
If none of the above works for you, you can go outside the Health Insurance Marketplace and buy health insurance through an insurance broker or agent, or directly from some insurance companies. A few companies offer private health insurance plans that meet all health care law requirements. The majority of plans that you can get outside of Open Enrollment<\/a> do not qualify as minimum essential coverage, so be sure to ask if the plan you\u2019re considering does.<\/p>\n The final option is a short-term medical plan, although there are some important limitations. These plans don\u2019t meet the requirements of the Affordable Care Act, so you will have to pay a penalty. Unlike regular Marketplace insurance, these plans are not guaranteed-issue \u2013 you will have to qualify based on your health history, and your application can be denied. Usually pre-existing conditions won\u2019t be covered either. So now you know there\u2019s no need to panic if you missed Open Enrollment<\/a>. It\u2019s highly likely you can still get coverage, and there\u2019s a good chance you won\u2019t have to pay a penalty either. You\u2019ve got lots of options, so don\u2019t wait any longer.<\/p>\nShort Term Plans<\/h2>\n
\nEven though these short-term plans would not likely be your first choice, they are a great way to ensure that your family is covered in the event of a serious emergency. No one wants to experience a catastrophic health event, and going through one without any type of health coverage makes the situation even worse; these plans help to avoid piling a financial catastrophe on top of a health one.<\/p>\n