I Am Getting Married Next Year, What Plan Should I Choose During Open Enrollment?

Make sure you enroll in a QHP during the annual Open Enrollment period in order to maintain minimum essential coverage and avoid needing to make an individual shared responsibility payment. When you get married, you will have a 60-day SEP during which she will qualify to enroll in or switch plans outside of the Open Enrollment period. The effective date for her new coverage will be the first day of the month following the date of QHP selection. 

Once you are married, you will have a 60-day period from the date of marriage to enroll in or change plans under an SEP.

It is important to remember you need to maintain minimum essential coverage, and that the Marketplaces offer SEPs to allow qualified individuals to enroll in or switch plans outside of the Open Enrollment period. To ensure only consumers eligible for an SEP are enrolling or changing plans outside of the Open Enrollment period, consumers who qualify for selected SEPs will receive a Marketplace Eligibility Determination Notice requesting that they submit documentation to prove their eligibility for the type of SEP that they were granted.

Please review the List of Acceptable Documents to Prove SEP Eligibility, available here.