You don't have to wait until November. Losing coverage or a major life change — a job, a move, a marriage, turning 26 — opens a Special Enrollment Period, a 60-day window to get a real health plan, often with subsidies. Philip Smith will confirm you qualify and get you covered fast. Free, no pressure.
If any of these happened in the last 60 days — or is about to — you can enroll now, outside Open Enrollment.
Laid off, quit, hours cut, or your employer dropped its plan. COBRA is one option — but ACA plans are usually far cheaper.
Aging off a parent's plan is a qualifying event. Your window runs 60 days before and after your birthday.
Getting married, divorced, or legally separated changes your household — and opens enrollment.
A birth, adoption, or foster placement lets you add the child and change your own plan.
A permanent move to a new ZIP or county with different plan options qualifies — including a move to Florida.
If you were dropped from Medicaid or Florida KidCare (including post-renewal unwinding), you qualify.
Your window starts the day your old coverage ends — not the day you get around to it. For most qualifying events you get 60 daysto enroll in an ACA marketplace plan. Miss it, and you'll usually wait until Open Enrollment (November 1–January 15) for a marketplace plan.
ACA coverage typically begins the first of the month after you enroll. If you have a gap right now, a private or TriTerm plan can start in as little as a few days — Philip will find the fastest compliant path for your situation.
Usually the best value
If you qualify through a life event, an ACA plan comes with income-based subsidies. Since your income may have dropped, many people now qualify for a Silver plan at $0–$150/month.
When you need coverage immediately
No enrollment window and can start in days — ideal if you missed the 60-day mark, don't have a qualifying event, or need to bridge a gap right now.
You generally have 60 days from the date of your qualifying life event (like losing job-based coverage) to enroll in a new ACA marketplace plan. The clock starts on the day your old coverage ends — not the day you find out. Miss the 60-day window and, in most cases, you'll have to wait until Open Enrollment (November 1–January 15) to get an ACA plan, so acting quickly matters. Philip can confirm your exact deadline and get you enrolled fast.
The most common qualifying events are: losing job-based or other coverage (not voluntarily dropping it), turning 26 and aging off a parent's plan, getting married or divorced, having or adopting a baby, moving to a new area with different plans (including moving to Florida), losing Medicaid or CHIP/Florida KidCare, and certain income changes that affect subsidy eligibility. If you're not sure whether your situation qualifies, a free call with a licensed agent will settle it in a few minutes.
Almost always, yes. COBRA lets you keep your exact employer plan but you pay the full premium (often $500–$700+/month for an individual, more for a family) with no employer contribution. An ACA marketplace plan during your Special Enrollment Period comes with income-based subsidies — and since your income may now be lower, many people qualify for a Silver plan at $0–$150/month. See our Florida COBRA alternative guide, or have Philip run the exact comparison for your situation.
For ACA Special Enrollment, coverage typically starts the first of the month after you enroll. If you need something sooner — for example, you have a gap right now — a private or TriTerm plan can start in as little as a few days from approval. Philip will tell you the fastest compliant path to being covered, based on when your old plan ended and what you need.
If you don't have a qualifying life event and it's outside Open Enrollment, you can't buy a standard ACA plan right now — but you're not out of options. Private PPO and TriTerm plans are available year-round with no enrollment window, which is why they're popular with the self-employed and people between jobs. Philip can walk you through what's available today in your Florida ZIP code at no cost.
Philip Smith · Licensed Independent Insurance Broker
NPN #22255420 · Licensed in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia & Ohio · If you just lost coverage, don't guess at your deadline — a 5-minute call confirms whether you qualify and gets you enrolled before the window closes. Free, no pressure.
Philip compares specific PPO, HMO, and EPO plans from 22+ carriers based on your doctors, budget, and ZIP code — in one free call.
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