How to Get Health Insurance Year-Round If You Have a Low Income
There’s usually only one time of year when you can enroll in health insurance: the annual Open Enrollment Period, which runs from November 1 to January 15 in most states. But now you may qualify for a special opportunity to get coverage at any time.
How? If your income is at or below a certain amount (more on that below), you could be eligible to get coverage without waiting until the next Open Enrollment Period, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Here’s why: Having a lower income can count as a qualifying life event, which is any big life change that makes you eligible to get health insurance outside of Open Enrollment. Other common qualifying life events include moving, losing coverage through your employer, getting married, and having a baby. If you experience a qualifying life event, you’re granted what’s called a Special Enrollment Period during which you can get covered.
This low-income qualifying life event was initially only available through December 2025, but now it’s here to stay. Here’s everything you need to know about it, plus how to get coverage if you’re eligible.
Think you might qualify? Enter your ZIP code below to find the best plan for your needs — we’ll automatically check to make sure you’re eligible.
What is the 150% federal poverty level qualifying life event and what does it mean for me?
The 150 percent federal poverty level qualifying life event allows you to enroll in health coverage at any time if your income is below a certain level. All states recognize this life event except for Maryland, Nevada, and Virginia.
To put it simply, this is a big deal. Without this qualifying life event, you could be stuck with old health insurance that doesn’t meet your current needs or without coverage entirely until the next Open Enrollment.
Here’s how to qualify: Your estimated household income must be at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level and you must be eligible for tax credits that lower the cost of health coverage (in other words, your income also needs to be higher than the amount that qualifies you for Medicaid in your state). The federal poverty level is a measure of income that the U.S. government calculates every year to determine who qualifies for certain programs and benefits — like health insurance savings.
So, what income level is at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level? Well, that depends on the size of your household. You can check the benchmarks for your family at HealthCare.gov, but here are a few common examples to get you started:
| Family size | Federal poverty level | 150% of federal poverty level |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $14,580 | $22,275 |
| 2 | $19,720 | $29,580 |
| 4 | $30,000 | $45,000 |
This qualifying life event is also a big deal because it means you can apply for health insurance at any time. With other qualifying life events, you typically have a limited 60-day window to enroll starting on the date of the life event. But with this one, you can get coverage whenever it’s convenient for you — and that coverage starts the first of the month after you enroll.
It also makes coverage more affordable. Remember, you must be eligible for tax credits (and not eligible for Medicaid) to qualify. Thanks to those tax credits, you could pay as little as $0/month for your plan. So if you’ve been putting off getting covered because you expect it to be too pricey, this could be your chance to save big.
How to use this qualifying life event to get covered
Think you might fit the requirements? Here are a few more details to know.
1. Make sure it’s available in your state.
Remember, every state except Maryland, Nevada, and Virginia offers this qualifying life event.
2. Apply through Stride.
We know marketplace sites are confusing, so Stride gets you right to the good stuff. Our customizable shopping tool helps you zero in on the best coverage options for you with personalized plan recommendations, filters, and side-by-side comparisons. Just enter your ZIP code to get started.
3. Get help from the experts.
If you’re feeling a little lost, you’re not alone: These are tricky topics to process if it’s not what you think about every day. Luckily, we’ve got professionals on hand who do think about this every day, and they’re here for you whenever you need them. Reach out at 415-358-3478, support@stridehealth.com, and via chat at stridehealth.com — at no cost — for help on all of the above and more.