Other life changes

Many circumstances can lead to loss or change of coverage, including:

• Moving out of state or to an area where your health plan isn’t available
• Losing your Part A, Parts A and B, or Part C Medicare coverage
• Losing veteran’s coverage
• Losing TRICARE coverage 
• Losing school-sponsored student health coverage
• If you’ve experienced domestic abuse or spousal abandonment and you or your dependents want to apply for coverage separately from your abuser or spouse
• If your military coverage ends because you return from active duty

You have a variety of ways to stay covered, including:

• A Kaiser Permanente individual or family plan
  • You can buy an individual or family plan directly through Kaiser Permanente or your state’s health benefit exchange. 
  • Financial assistance may be available. To see if you qualify, visit buykp.org.
• Medicaid and other federal and state health coverage programs. Visit the Kaiser Permanente Medicaid website to see if Kaiser Permanente offers a Medicaid plan in your area.
• COBRA continuation coverage, which can continue your employer-sponsored coverage through your ex-spouse or ex-partner’s plan for a limited time.
• Coverage through your employer. Contact your employer’s health benefits administrator to find out if you have coverage options.

Depending on the coverage option you choose, that date can vary.

• Individual or family plan through Kaiser Permanente or the health benefit exchange — Coverage may start the first day of the month after you lose your coverage.
• COBRA — Your employer-sponsored coverage will continue without a break.
• Medicaid — Coverage may start either on the date you apply for Medicaid or the first day of the month you apply, depending on your state’s Medicaid rules.

You may qualify for help based on your family size and income. Check if these programs are offered in your area to help you stay covered:

• Kaiser Permanente’s Medical Financial Assistance
• Kaiser Permanente’s Charitable Health Coverage programs
• Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

Visit healthcare.gov or your state’s health benefit exchange to check your eligibility. 

If you’ve had a qualifying life change — like moving to a new state — you can apply for coverage for a limited time outside the yearly open enrollment period. This is called a special enrollment period.

• If you’re applying for an individual plan, your special enrollment period typically lasts for 60 days after the date of your life change, or 60 days before an expected life change.
• If you’re applying for coverage through your employer, your special enrollment period lasts at least 30 days from the date of your life change. The length of time varies by employer.
• If you opt for COBRA coverage, you can sign up within 60 days of the date you lose coverage or the date you get your COBRA election notice — whichever is later. For state COBRA coverage, sign up by the date specified in your COBRA election notice.
• If you qualify for Medicaid, you can apply anytime — with no time restrictions.

You’ll want to act quickly: If you don’t apply by your deadline, you’ll usually need to wait until the following year’s open enrollment period to apply for new coverage.