Healthcare professional
Health Insurance is insurance meant to cover all or most of your expenses during medical events. During open enrollment, you select a plan and benefits that best fit your financial situation and your circumstances, then that plan is in effect--usually for a year--until the next enrollment period. Life changes during the course of that year can alter your insurance needs. Certain qualifying life events make you eligible to change your insurance benefits before the next enrollment period.
Family Status
A change in family status is a qualifying event. If you get married or divorced or if you become legally separated, you can change your health insurance outside the enrollment period. The birth of your child or adoption of a child is also a qualifying event. A change in child custody or a court order to provide coverage for a child will allow you to change your health insurance outside the enrollment period. The death of your spouse or the death of a dependent is also a qualifying event.
Employment
If your employment status changes such as from part time to full time, you can change your health insurance outside the enrollment period.
Eligibility
If your spouse loses or gains insurance eligibility or there is a significant change to his insurance coverage, that qualifies you to modify your insurance benefits to include him or take him off your insurance between enrollment periods. If you or an eligible family member becomes eligible for Medicare, Medicaid or a similar state-sponsored program, you can change your insurance before the next enrollment period.
If you opted not to take health insurance during open enrollment and you undergo a qualifying life event before the next enrollment period, you may be able to enroll yourself and your new dependent or new spouse. Notify your provider within the window of opportunity to check your eligibility.
Notification
Check with your insurance provider to find out what the window of opportunity is for making changes to your benefits after a qualifying event occurs. You may have only 30 or 60 days to notify your carrier and provide documentation to support your qualifying event. Some providers may require as little as seven days notification.
