Who Qualifies for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP)
To enroll outside Open Enrollment, you must experience a qualifying life event (QLE). In most cases, you have a 60-day window before or after the event to enroll.
You can only shop for a new health insurance plan outside Open Enrollment if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) due to a qualifying life event.
Documentation not yet available? If your proof of QLE hasn't arrived yet — for example, a loss-of-coverage letter from your carrier, or a birth certificate still being processed — contact Customer Experience before your 60-day SEP window closes. Do not wait for documents if your deadline is approaching. Missing the window means waiting until the next Open Enrollment period.
What Counts as a Qualifying Life Event
Common qualifying life events include:
Changes in household: Marriage; birth, adoption, or foster placement; divorce or legal separation with loss of coverage (divorce alone does not qualify); death of someone on your plan.
Changes in residence: Moving to a new ZIP code or county; moving to the U.S. from abroad or a U.S. territory; students moving locations; seasonal workers relocating; moving to or from transitional housing. Note: You must show proof of prior qualifying coverage within the past 60 days for most moves.
Loss of coverage: Losing job-based insurance; losing individual coverage; losing Medicaid, CHIP, or Medicare eligibility; losing coverage through a family member.
Other qualifying changes: Gaining U.S. citizenship; leaving incarceration; gaining tribal membership; becoming eligible for QSEHRA or ICHRA.
When This Does Not Apply
If you do not have a qualifying life event, you cannot enroll until the next Open Enrollment period.
If you cannot provide valid documentation for your QLE, your enrollment will not be approved.
Voluntarily canceling coverage or missing Open Enrollment without a QLE does not make you eligible for an SEP.
How to Shop in the Take Command Portal
Follow these steps to enroll:
Log into the Take Command portal and go to the Health Insurance section, then select “Shop for Health Insurance.”
Upload proof of your qualifying life event, such as a marriage certificate, employer letter, or lease agreement.
Browse available plans and compare premiums, deductibles, and coverage details. You can contact the Enrollment team for assistance.
Select a plan and submit your application with all required documentation.
What if the 'Shop for Health Insurance' button is missing?
If you have a qualifying life event but the 'Shop for Health Insurance' or 'Have a Qualifying Life Event' option is not visible or accessible in your portal, this is a backend configuration issue — browser troubleshooting will not resolve it.
Contact Customer Experience and include:
Your qualifying life event and the date it occurred
A screenshot of your Health Insurance section showing the missing button
Any documentation you have already gathered
My QLE was submitted but the shopping option is still locked. What do I do?
If you submitted a qualifying life event and uploaded documentation but the 'Shop for Health Insurance' button remains locked or unavailable, this usually means:
Your QLE has not yet been verified or approved in the system — shopping only activates once the QLE is confirmed.
Your account eligibility has not been updated to reflect the QLE — this requires a backend configuration change.
Your shopping session expired or reset mid-process — this can happen if you leave the portal mid-enrollment. Try starting the flow again from the Health Insurance section.
Contact Customer Experience if the shopping option remains unavailable after 24 hours following your QLE submission. Include your name, your qualifying life event, the date it occurred, and a screenshot of your Health Insurance section.
If your 60-day window is approaching, say so explicitly — CX can prioritize verification for time-sensitive situations.
My shopping session keeps resetting or expiring before I finish. What should I do?
If your shopping session resets mid-enrollment — for example, you leave to find documentation and return to find your plan selection cleared — restart from the Health Insurance section and try to complete in a single session. You do not need to re-upload your QLE documentation if it was already accepted.
If the session continues to reset or you cannot advance past a step, contact Customer Experience with a description of where the session is stopping. Do not submit multiple applications — duplicate submissions can slow processing.
Loss of income does not qualify for a Special Enrollment Period
Losing income or experiencing a reduction in hours does not constitute a qualifying life event under ACA rules unless it also results in loss of health coverage (for example, losing employer-sponsored insurance because your hours dropped below the eligibility threshold). If you lost income but retained your health coverage, you cannot enroll in a new plan outside Open Enrollment based on income change alone. Contact Customer Experience if you are unsure whether your specific situation qualifies.
What Documentation You Need
You must provide proof of your qualifying life event. Common examples include:
Employer letter or COBRA election notice confirming loss of job-based coverage.
Marriage certificate.
Birth certificate, hospital birth record, or adoption paperwork.
Divorce decree showing loss of coverage (note: divorce alone without loss of coverage does not qualify as a QLE).
Lease agreement or utility bill showing a new address, along with proof of prior qualifying coverage within the past 60 days.
Government document showing gain of U.S. citizenship or change in program eligibility.
Incomplete or missing documentation will delay or prevent enrollment.
Documentation not yet available? If your documents haven't arrived yet — for example, a loss-of-coverage letter from your carrier, or a birth certificate still being processed — contact Customer Experience before your 60-day SEP window closes. Do not wait for documents if your deadline is approaching. Missing the 60-day window means waiting until the next Open Enrollment period.
Coverage Timing
Coverage start dates depend on your qualifying event and submission timing. In most cases:
Coverage begins the first day of the month after plan selection.
Some events (such as birth or adoption) may allow retroactive coverage.
Your 60-day SEP window is measured from your qualifying life event date, not from when you start shopping. If you enroll on the last day of your window, coverage still begins on the first of the following month. For example: QLE on June 1 → window closes July 30 → if you enroll in July, coverage starts August 1.
FAQs
Can I switch plans without a qualifying life event?
No. You must wait for Open Enrollment if you do not have a qualifying life event.
What if I missed Open Enrollment and do not qualify for an SEP?
You may consider alternatives such as short-term or catastrophic plans, but these may not be reimbursable under QSEHRA or ICHRA and typically offer limited coverage. Contact Customer Experience to discuss your specific situation before purchasing any plan outside the standard enrollment period.
Can I preview plans before my QLE is confirmed?
Yes. You can use the Take Command portal to browse plans in advance, but you cannot enroll until your QLE is verified.
Why does my portal say 'Shopping isn't available'?
Shopping windows may close at a specific time each day. If you see this message after initiating a qualifying life event, try again the following business day. If the message persists and you are still within your 60-day SEP window, contact Customer Experience — do not wait, as your enrollment deadline is time-sensitive.
My QLE documentation was rejected. What should I do?
If your qualifying life event documentation is rejected as non-compliant:
Confirm the document clearly shows your name and the event date.
For loss of coverage: the document must show your coverage end date (e.g., a COBRA notice, carrier cancellation letter, or employer benefits termination letter).
For address changes: you must also provide proof of prior qualifying coverage within the last 60 days.
For divorce: a divorce decree alone does not qualify — it must include loss of coverage. A separate letter confirming coverage termination is typically required.
If the rejection reason is unclear or your window is closing, contact Customer Experience immediately — they can review your submission and advise on the fastest resolution.
I submitted my QLE and it's showing 'In Progress' or enrollment is stuck. What do I do?
If your enrollment shows 'In Progress' or you cannot advance past a step after submitting your QLE, this is usually a backend account status issue rather than a documentation problem. Contact Customer Experience with your name, the qualifying life event date, and a screenshot of what you see. Do not resubmit — multiple submissions can create duplicate records that slow processing.
Additional Resources
Take Command Health Plan Search: https://app.takecommandhealth.com/health-plan-search
HealthCare.gov: https://www.healthcare.gov/