When can I enroll in Medicaid?

If eligible, you can enroll in Medicaid or CHIP at any time during the year, not just during open enrollment. (42 C.F.R. § 435.906.) In some states, children may have up to a 90-day waiting period for CHIP coverage if they voluntarily drop group health insurance and don’t qualify for an exemption. The waiting period does not apply to children moving from Medicaid to CHIP or moving from individual (non-group) coverage to CHIP.