2021 Special Enrollment Period Responds to COVID-19 Pandemic with Open Individual and Family Plan Market

Spring 2021 Special Enrollment Period Dates and Details

By Kimberly Gehrke, manager of individual sales at Network Health
Originally published on 03/16/2021 at 8:00 a.m.

Health insurance is like a Mediterranean dessert in that dates are important. Unlike other types of insurance, health insurance marketplaces tend to be open during only certain times of the year. Throughout the rest of the year, you’re able to buy health insurance through your employer or if you experience a qualifying life event, but for individuals and families, marketplaces are typically only open from November 1 through December 15.

If there’s one thing we shouldn’t have to say, however, it’s that this year has not been like any before it. For that reason, President Joseph Biden signed an executive order on January 28, 2021, that opens the federal health insurance exchange (created by the Affordable Care Act) for a unique special enrollment period. In this order, federal officials have expressed hope that additional time to enroll will help ensure Americans are covered during the coronavirus pandemic.

Here’s what you need to know about this special enrollment period for individual and family health insurance plans.

When is the 2021 special enrollment period for health insurance?

The 2021 special enrollment period was opened on February 15, 2021, and runs until August, 15, 2021. During this period, enrollees can choose from an Affordable-Care-Act-credited individual and family health insurance plan. They can also change from a plan for which they may have enrolled in the 2021 open enrollment period.

Additionally, if enrollees qualify for a federal tax credit, they can claim that credit and apply it toward their monthly health insurance premium.

What plans are included in the 2021 special enrollment period for health insurance?

The 2021 special enrollment period is for affordable-care-act-certified individual and family plans. For Network Health, this includes our Prestige line of plans that give you the following benefits.

• No-cost preventative care services
• No-cost annual vision exam through EyeMed
• No-cost routine dental exam, cleaning and x-ray through Argus Dental
• No-cost virtual doctor visits (deductible must be met first on some plans)
• Momentum healthy rewards wellness program

You can view our Prestige plans by clicking here.

How do I get a quote or enroll in a plan during the 2021 special enrollment period?

The best way is to provide basics information such as gender, date of birth and zip code information and we’ll provide you a quote for one of our Network Health plans. You can start by clicking below.