I’m a seasonal worker and spend 4 months of the year in a different state. Can I get a special enrollment opportunity to sign up for a new plan during the time I’m in that state?

Most likely yes, in this situation, you meet the Marketplace residency requirements of the state you live in for 8 months and the state you work in for 4 months. When the residency requirements are met, you are eligible for a special enrollment right to sign up for a new plan when you move to the new state. However, to qualify for a special enrollment period based on moving, you must have had at least one day of coverage in the 60 days prior to your move. If you had Marketplace coverage, you can only select a plan that is in the same metal level as your current Marketplace plan. Make sure to discontinue your previous health plan with the Marketplace and the insurer each time you move so you won’t owe two premium payments. (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.)

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