Special Enrollment Period
What qualifies as a life event?
While Open Enrollment begins November 1, 2026 for a 2027 health plan, you may not have to wait. You could be eligible to enroll in health insurance earlier if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP).
Certain life changes may qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period, allowing you to enroll in or change your Individual or Family health plan outside of the annual Open Enrollment period. You typically have 60 days from the date this qualifying life event occurs to enroll in or update your insurance.
Examples of life events: Need Help?Talk to An Advisor
- Losing or will soon lose comprehensive health coverage
- Becoming a Maine resident
- Recently losing MaineCare (note: you have 90 days for this SEP)
- Adding a dependent (through birth, adoption, or fostering a child)
- Getting married
- Getting divorced or legally separated
These are only some of the reasons you may qualify for a special enrollment period. For a full list of qualifying life events, we recommend this document from our partners at the ACA Marketplace for Maine, CoverME.gov: Full list of Special Enrollment Period events
How to apply:
Maine recently introduced a new process.
First, you can no longer apply online for an SEP by yourself through CoverME.gov, effective for plans beginning March 6. Instead, get started by calling the state’s Consumer Assistance Center (CAC) at (866) 636-0355. They’ll initially qualify you and open the enrollment portal so your broker can help you choose a plan and sign up. You can also talk to an advisor in the link above.
Second, you may be asked to send documents that verify you’re eligible for coverage, especially for loss of coverage or becoming a new Maine resident. You’ll need to send these in before you can begin using coverage. Here are some examples of documents accepted as forms of proof:
- Loss of coverage: Health insurance termination letter or a letter from an employer.
- Maine residency: Lease or mortgage statement, Maine driver's license, or something like a utility or internet bill, or U.S. Postal Service change of address confirm letter.
- Marriage or domestic partnership, family changes: Licenses or related documents, birth or adoption certificates.
- U.S. citizenship: U.S. passport, certificates of naturalization or citizenship, or a birth certificate or photo ID.
Have a question about your health plan and what's covered? Call our Maine-based Member Services team at (855) 624-6463 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
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Buying health insurance probably isn’t among the more exciting purchases you’ll ever make. But like it or not, it’s one of the most important. So, we want to help you get it right.
Comparing health plan prices? Estimate your yearly spending, too
It might be tempting to buy a health plan based on the lowest monthly premium, but if you do, you might be surprised by your out-of-pocket costs at the end of the year. When you compare plan prices, it’s important to estimate your upcoming yearly costs so you can find a plan that meets your needs.
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You could be eligible for Advance Premium Tax Credits when you enroll for 2027.
At Community Health Options, our purpose is simple: We provide Members with benefits they can actually use.
From the state’s broadest healthcare provider network to our Maine-based Member Services team that answers your questions instead of sending your employees down a robot rabbit hole, we focus on helping our Members get access to the care they need while working to lower out-of-pocket costs.
View our Small Group or Large Group plans
If you experience a qualifying life event, like getting married/divorced, having a baby, losing other health coverage, or moving to a new area, you may be eligible to change or buy a new plan outside Open Enrollment. This is known as a Special Enrollment Period (SEP).
Individual Members can call our Member Services team at (855) 624-6463 for help with your application, call your broker, or visit CoverME.gov if that’s where you bought your plan.
Group Members should contact their employer’s HR administrator for more information on making changes to your plan.
CoverME.gov is Maine's Health Insurance Marketplace. It is where people and small businesses in Maine can shop and buy health plans, along with finding out whether they qualify for MaineCare or financial assistance. Individuals and families can purchase a plan during annual Open Enrollment, Nov.1 through Jan. 15, or when they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
About 66% of enrollees qualify for financial savings. Depending on household income, household size and other factors, you could be eligible for:
- Premium tax credits to lower monthly payments
- Other savings to reduce costs when you get care
Our Member Services team is available to answer any questions and find the right plan for your unique needs: (855) 624-6463.