Nearly 9 out of 10 people who signed up for health care coverage during last fall’s open enrollment qualified for help paying their monthly premiums. If you thought about signing up, but didn’t because you thought you couldn’t afford it, your odds may be better than you thought.

Now you have another chance to find out. Starting Feb. 15, 2021, you’ll be able to apply for new 2021 health plans or make changes to your current plan. You can apply for a 2021 individual or family health plan until May 15, 2021.

More than Special

This new enrollment period is more than extra time. The special enrollment period is meant to help the millions of people who have lost job-based health coverage due to the economic downturn, or have experienced health issues due to the pandemic.

For this enrollment period, you don’t need a recent qualifying life event, like marriage or a birthday. There is no list to check. No proof is needed.  If you want health care coverage and are eligible to enroll, you can select your plan between February 15^th and May 15^th and your effective date will be the first day of the next month.

And a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation  shows that nearly 9 million uninsured people could get coverage free or with low monthly premiums through HealthCare.gov, the federal online health insurance marketplace.

Here’s How to Learn More

It is worth the time to see if a marketplace plan is within your reach. You can search plans that fit your needs without enrolling and find out if you qualify for financial assistance.

1. See if you qualify for financial assistance.
   Check our Premium Tax Credit Estimator to see if you qualify for help paying your premiums.
2. Find a plan that fits your budget.
   Compare plans and pricing for 2021 coverage on our website.
3. Call if you have questions or need help enrolling. An independent, authorized insurance agent can help you explore your options. Or you can call us at 866-793-8115. There is no cost or obligation to purchase anything.