The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said Thursday it will extend the temporary special enrollment period for Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program members who no longer qualify for coverage to enroll with a federal marketplace insurer.
Those no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP will now have until Nov. 30 to transition to a marketplace plan. The original deadline was July 31.
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The extension aims to help people maintain coverage, including those in states where the renewal period for Medicaid and CHIP coverage had already been extended. CMS said it encourages state-based marketplaces to also adopt a longer extension for members losing eligibility for Medicaid or CHIP.
The temporary special enrollment period was announced in January 2023, following the end of Medicaid's continuous enrollment provision, to allow individuals to join a plan within HealthCare.Gov outside of the standard annual open enrollment. The special enrollment window opened in March 2023.
Those who use the special enrollment period will have 60 days from when they apply to select a new marketplace plan, CMS said. Coverage would begin the first day of the month after a plan is selected.
