Yes, you can still get health insurance after open enrollment, but your choices narrow. On HealthCare.gov, Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage ends January 15. After that, a Marketplace plan requires a qualifying life event from the past 60 days. Medicaid and CHIP accept applications all year. Job-based plans, short-term plans in approved states and supplemental plans follow their own rules.
- For 2027 coverage, HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment runs November 1 to January 15, and state exchanges can set other dates.
- After January 15, a life event such as losing job coverage, a move, marriage or a new baby gives you 60 days to enroll.
- Medicaid and CHIP never close, so you can apply and enroll any time you qualify.
- Buying an ACA plan straight from an insurer usually follows the same windows, and tax credits only come through the Marketplace.
- Short-term plans, sold only in approved states, aren't ACA-compliant and can exclude pre-existing conditions.
Missed Open Enrollment? Check for a life event first
Before you look anywhere else, check the last 60 days for any of these changes. Many people qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, or SEP, and don't know it. An SEP is a short window to buy a Marketplace plan after a qualifying life event. Our pillar guide on how the yearly enrollment season works explains the regular calendar.
- Lost job-based coverage, COBRA, Medicaid or a parent's plan
- Married, had a baby, adopted or took in a foster child
- Moved to a new ZIP code or county
- An employer offered you a CHOICE arrangement, formerly called an ICHRA
- Became a citizen or left incarceration
Also, losing Medicaid or CHIP gives you 90 days instead of 60. Our guide to life changes that open an enrollment window lists every rule. Your next step: write down the date of any change from the last two months.
Your options for health insurance after open enrollment
If no life event fits, you still have choices. However, each one works differently, so match it to your income, health and timeline.
| Option | When you can enroll | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplace plan | Only with a qualifying life event | Tax credits can lower the price |
| Medicaid or CHIP | Any time of year | Income and state rules decide eligibility |
| Job-based plan | At hire or the employer's enrollment | New hires can wait up to 90 days |
| Short-term plan | Year-round in approved states | Not ACA-compliant, so pre-existing conditions may be excluded |
| Supplemental plan | Often any time | Pays set cash benefits, but it isn't major medical |
For a wider view of what we compare, see our ACA and private health insurance plans. Your next step: cross off the rows that don't fit you.
Medicaid and CHIP never close
Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) accept applications every month. If you qualify, you can enroll right away. They look at current monthly income, so a recent pay cut or job loss can make you eligible now.
Rules vary a lot by state. For example, some states didn't expand Medicaid to most low-income adults. Also, Medicaid work rules for many expansion adults begin by January 1, 2027. Those rules call for 80 hours a month of work or other activities, with some exemptions.
Children often qualify for CHIP even when parents don't. Our guide to coverage options for your children explains how. Your next step: apply through HealthCare.gov or your state Medicaid office.
Job-based coverage after the deadline
A new job can give you coverage at any point in the year. Federal rules cap an employer plan's waiting period at 90 days. So a new job's plan can still leave you with a gap of up to about three months.
A spouse's job plan is another route. When you lose other coverage, marry or have a baby, you usually get 30 days to join it. Plus, many employers hold their own open enrollment on a different calendar. Your next step: ask your HR team, or your spouse's, about the next enrollment date.
A licensed Vivna agent can check for a life event and compare every option from 50+ carriers, at no cost to you.
Can you buy health insurance after open enrollment from an insurer?
Usually not an ACA plan. Federal rules let insurers limit ACA plan sales to the same Open Enrollment and special enrollment windows, both on and off the Marketplace. So going straight to a carrier rarely gets you around the deadline.
- Tax credits and extra savings available
- Needs Open Enrollment or an SEP
- Covers pre-existing conditions
- Same ACA benefits and protections
- Usually the same enrollment windows
- No tax credits at all
In other words, tax credits only come through the Marketplace. Your next step: if you have a life event, apply through the Marketplace so you don't leave savings on the table.
Short-term and tri-term plans
In approved states, short-term plans can be bought year-round. For some healthy people, that makes them a bridge until next fall. Even so, they work very differently from ACA coverage.
Short-term plans are available only in approved states. They are not ACA-compliant, they can exclude pre-existing conditions, and they don't qualify for subsidies. Medical questions on the application can also lead to a denial.
Tri-term plans are sold in fewer states, and they can last close to three years. However, UnitedHealthcare's tri-term plan, for example, pays no benefits for pre-existing conditions in the first 12 months. Compare short-term plans in approved states and multi-year tri-term coverage. Then read our guide to how short-term plans differ from ACA coverage.
Supplemental, dental and vision plans
Many supplemental plans can be bought outside Open Enrollment. They pay set cash amounts for things like hospital stays or accidents. However, they don't replace major medical coverage.
- They don't meet ACA rules for major medical
- Benefits stop at fixed dollar amounts
- Most won't cover routine doctor visits like a full plan
Still, they can help while you wait. For example, accident and hospital cash plans can soften a big bill. Similarly, a stand-alone dental and vision plan covers care most medical plans leave out for adults. Your next step: read the benefit schedule before you buy.
Plan for the next Open Enrollment
If nothing fits now, set yourself up for next fall. That way, you won't need health insurance after open enrollment again.
- Set a reminder for November 1
Then aim to pick a plan by December 15.
- Estimate next year's income
Your tax credit depends on it. Since the repayment cap is gone, accuracy matters.
- List your doctors and drugs
Next, check them with our carrier network doctor search links.
- Watch for life events
A move or job change before fall could open a window sooner.
Which route fits after the enrollment deadline?
Apply for a Marketplace plan with a Special Enrollment Period.
Check Medicaid or CHIP, since they accept applications all year.
Consider a short-term plan in approved states, knowing its limits.
Call us before you assume you missed out. On the phones, we often find a qualifying event the caller didn't count, like a December move or a spouse's lost job plan. A five-minute review can open a Marketplace window you didn't know you had.
Check the last 60 days before you settle for less coverage.The rule our licensed agents repeat most after January 15
Questions? Call a licensed Vivna agent at 888-730-6001, or read about staying covered after a job ends.
Health insurance after open enrollment: FAQs
Can I get health insurance after open enrollment ends?
Yes, but your options are narrower. You can get a Marketplace plan if you had a qualifying life event in the past 60 days. Medicaid and CHIP accept applications all year. You can also join a job-based plan at hire, or buy a short-term or supplemental plan in approved states. Each option has trade-offs, so compare them first.
What counts as a qualifying life event?
Common events include losing job-based coverage, marriage, a birth or adoption, and a permanent move to a new ZIP code or county. Losing Medicaid, turning 26 on a parent's plan and becoming a citizen also count. However, dropping a plan on purpose or not paying the premium doesn't qualify.
Can I buy an ACA plan directly from an insurer after January 15?
Usually not without a qualifying life event. Federal rules let insurers limit ACA plan sales to Open Enrollment and special enrollment windows, both on and off the Marketplace. Also, if you buy outside the Marketplace, you can't get a tax credit. So a Special Enrollment Period through the Marketplace is usually the better route.
Is there a penalty for not having health insurance?
Not at the federal level. HealthCare.gov says the federal fee for not having coverage no longer applies. However, a few states set their own requirement, so check your state's rules. The bigger risk, though, is a large medical bill with no coverage. That's why a bridge plan can still make sense.
When is the next Open Enrollment?
On HealthCare.gov, Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Pick a plan by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1. If you enroll between December 16 and January 15, coverage starts February 1. State exchanges can use different dates.
Have more questions? Browse our enrollment and ICHRA answers library.
Vivna's licensed agents compare plans from 50+ carriers. Call Monday through Friday, 9am to 6pm.
Sources
- HealthCare.gov: Your options outside Open Enrollment
- HealthCare.gov: Special enrollment opportunities
- eCFR: 45 CFR 147.104, Guaranteed availability of coverage
- HealthCare.gov: When can you get health insurance?
- UnitedHealthcare: TriTerm Medical insurance
- HealthCare.gov: The fee for not having health insurance
Vivna Insurance is a licensed, independent health insurance agency (NPN 19168641). We are not affiliated with HealthCare.gov or any government agency. Plan availability, networks and benefits vary by state and change over time. Short-term plans are available only in approved states and are not ACA-compliant coverage.