Special Enrollment Period Extended

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Due to the pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) decided to extend the special enrollment period (SEP) through Exchanges on the federal www.HealthCare.gov platform. The SEP was previously extended through March 15, 2021. Now eligible individuals can enroll in Exchange coverage through August 15, 2021.

The SEP is available to those eligible individuals who are submitting a new application or updating an existing application. States with their own Exchange platforms are encouraged to adopt a similar SEP in their own states.

Individuals can visit www.HealthCare.gov to learn if they are eligible. They will have 30 days after they apply to select a plan.

• Current enrollees can change to any available plan in their area without restriction to the same level of coverage as their current plan.
• Individuals who are eligible and enroll under this SEP will be able to select a plan with coverage that starts prospectively the first of the month after plan selection.

Starting April 1, 2021, additional premium cost savings is available through www.HealthCare.gov, as a result of the American Rescue Plan Act. These lower premium costs may allow individuals to enroll in a higher-level plan at the same cost. Also starting in early July, those who are eligible for unemployment compensation for any week during 2021 may be eligible for additional cost savings through the Exchange.

Download the bulletin for more details.

This blog is intended to be a compilation of information and resources pulled from federal, state, and local agencies. This is not intended to be legal advice. For up to the minute information and guidance on COVID-19, please follow the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and your local health organizations.