Published on June 30, 2016
If you recently retired and aren’t eligible for Medicare yet, you may be able to get health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace®.
While retiring from a job alone doesn’t qualify you for a
, losing health insurance does. If you lost health insurance when you retired, you have 60 days to enroll in a health plan outside Open Enrollment.
When you lose job-based insurance you may be offered COBRA continuation coverage.
- If you decide not to take COBRA coverage, you can enroll in a Marketplace plan instead.
- If you’ve already started COBRA coverage, you have different options.
If you have retiree health insurance but want to buy a Marketplace plan instead, you can. But you won’t be able to get
and other savings in the Marketplace. If you voluntarily drop your retiree health coverage, you don’t qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
Apply with a Special Enrollment Period
- Answer a few quick questions to see if you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period or for Medicaid or CHIP. We’ll tell you your next steps.
- Already know you qualify? Go to the Start Page and select the third button to start an application.
Note: Losing health coverage isn’t the only life event that qualifies you to enroll in a plan outside the Open Enrollment Period. You may also be eligible if you’ve had other life changes — like getting married, moving, or adopting a child.