I’m a college student and will be going to an out-of-state university. Can I qualify for a special enrollment period to sign up for a new plan in the state where I’ll be going to school?

It depends. You may be eligible to buy coverage in the state where you attend school as long you can establish residency. In general, residency can be established by demonstrating that you live in the service area and intend to reside there. Otherwise your residency is determined by your parents or caregivers’ residency. If you can establish residency, then you may qualify for a permanent move special enrollment period as long as you had health insurance coverage at least one day in the 60 days prior to your move. (45 C.F.R. § 155.420; CMS, FAQs on Marketplace Residency Requirement and Special Enrollment due to a Permanent Move, Jan. 19, 2016; CMS, Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs) Information.)