The short answer: marriage and divorce are both qualifying life events. On the Marketplace, that opens a Special Enrollment Period, and you generally have about 60 days from the event to enroll. Private plans enroll any month, with no window to wait for. Either way, tell us the date it happened, and keep your current plan until the new one is in force.
The window a marriage or divorce opens
Marriage or divorce counts as a qualifying life event. So does losing other coverage, which is often what a divorce means for the spouse who was on the other's plan. On the Marketplace, you generally have about 60 days from the event to enroll, so tell us the date it happened. If your household income qualifies, income-based savings lower the premium, and pre-existing conditions are covered with no underwriting.
Private plans do not wait for a window at all. They enroll any month, and for most private plans on our site, applications submitted by the 23rd of the month start on the 1st of the next month. They ask health questions, and approval is the carrier's decision.
Getting married: one plan or two?
Two people who each had their own plan now have a choice. You can keep both plans, move one spouse onto the other's plan, or both pick something new together. There is no single right answer, so it helps to look at the real numbers.
- If one of you has a work plan. Employer plans price by tier: employee only, employee plus spouse, employee plus children, or family. The difference between the employee-only price and the plus-spouse price is what adding your spouse really costs. Sometimes the employee stays on the work plan and the spouse is better off on a private plan of their own.
- If you are looking at a private plan together. Private plans ask health questions. If your spouse is applying too, the suitability check covers both of you.
- If one of you has a health condition. Tell us first: depending on the condition, a private plan may still be an option. If not, a work plan or the Marketplace may be the better home for that spouse.
Changing your name? That is a routine change. Tell us the date it takes effect. The name on a policy has to match your ID or driver's license for it to issue cleanly, so let us know once your new ID is in hand.
Getting divorced: coverage of your own
If you were covered through your spouse's plan, a divorce usually means you need a plan of your own. If you were the one carrying your spouse, your own plan changes too. The employer plan sets its own rules for when someone can be removed, so check the date with HR before anything changes.
This is a good moment to compare, not just to replace. If you are generally healthy and get no subsidy or only a small one, a private plan can be the more affordable choice. If your new household income qualifies for a large subsidy, or a health condition means a private plan will not accept you, the Marketplace may be the better fit. We put both side by side for you.
Picture it
The divorce is final and there are a hundred things to sort out. You assume you are still on your former spouse's work plan until someone tells you otherwise. Then a prescription is declined at the pharmacy, and you learn you were removed weeks ago. By the time you look for a new plan, most of the enrollment window is gone.
Now picture the other version. As soon as you know the date coverage ends, you send us one text. We price a private plan next to the Marketplace for your new household, confirm the start date in writing, and line it up so your new plan begins the day the old coverage ends. The pharmacy visit is just a pharmacy visit.
Keep the old plan until the new one is in force
Whether you are adding a spouse or leaving one, the order matters. Do not cancel anything, or remove anyone, until the new plan is approved and you have its start date. The new policy is in force first, then the old one ends effective the same date, so nobody is uncovered for a single day. We confirm the exact effective date before you sign, and never backdate.
Keep reading
How to switch health plans without a gap, when new health coverage starts, and whether your employer plan is really the best deal for your family.
This is general education, not tax advice and not a guarantee of coverage. Benefits, deadlines, eligibility and enrollment windows depend on the plan, the carrier, your state and underwriting.