§ 155.420 Special enrollment periods.

(a) General requirements—(1) General parameters. The Exchange must provide special enrollment periods consistent with this section, during which qualified individuals may enroll in QHPs and enrollees may change QHPs.

(2) Definition of dependent. For the purpose of this section, “dependent”, has the same meaning as it does in 26 CFR 54.9801–2, referring to any individual who is or who may become eligible for coverage under the terms of a QHP because of a relationship to a qualified individual or enrollee.

(3) Use of special enrollment periods. Except in the circumstances specified in paragraph (a)(4) of this section, the Exchange must allow a qualified individual or enrollee, and when specified in paragraph (d) of this section, his or her dependent to enroll in a QHP if one of the triggering events specified in paragraph (d) of this section occur.

(4) Use of special enrollment periods by enrollees. (i) If an enrollee has gained a dependent in accordance with paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section, the Exchange must allow the enrollee to add the dependent to his or her current QHP, or, if the current QHP's business rules do not allow the dependent to enroll, the Exchange must allow the enrollee and his or her dependents to change to another QHP within the same level of coverage (or one metal level higher or lower, if no such QHP is available), as outlined in § 156.140(b) of this subchapter, or, at the option of the enrollee or dependent, enroll the dependent in any separate QHP.

(A) If an enrollee or their dependents become newly eligible for cost-sharing reductions in accordance with paragraph (d)(6)(i) or (ii) of this section and the enrollee or their dependents are not enrolled in a silver-level QHP, the Exchange must allow the enrollee and their dependents to change to a silver-level QHP if they elect to change their QHP enrollment; or

(B) Beginning January 2022, if an enrollee or their dependents become newly ineligible for cost-sharing reductions in accordance with paragraph (d)(6)(i) or (ii) of this section and the enrollee or his or her dependents are enrolled in a silver-level QHP, the Exchange must allow the enrollee and their dependents to change to a QHP one metal level higher or lower if they elect to change their QHP enrollment;

(C) No later than January 1, 2024, if an enrollee or his or her dependents become newly ineligible for advance payments of the premium tax credit in accordance with paragraph (d)(6)(i) or (ii) of this section, the Exchange must allow the enrollee and his or her dependents to change to a QHP of any metal level, if they elect to change their QHP enrollment; or

(D) If an enrollee or his or her enrolled dependents qualify for a special enrollment period in accordance with paragraph (d)(16) of this section, the Exchange must allow the enrollee and his or her enrolled dependents to change to any available silver-level QHP if they elect to change their QHP enrollment. If a qualified individual or a dependent who is not an enrollee qualifies for a special enrollment period in accordance with paragraph (d)(16) of this section and has one or more household members who are enrollees, the Exchange must allow the enrollee to add the newly enrolling household member to his or her current QHP; or, to change to a silver-level QHP and add the newly enrolling household member to this silver-level QHP; or, to change to a silver level QHP and enroll the newly enrolling qualified individual or dependent in a separate QHP;

(iii) For the other triggering events specified in paragraph (d) of this section, except for paragraphs (d)(2)(i), (d)(4), and (d)(6)(i) and (ii) of this section for becoming newly eligible or ineligible for CSRs and paragraphs (d)(8), (9), (10), (12), (14), and (16) of this section:

(A) If an enrollee qualifies for a special enrollment period, the Exchange must allow the enrollee and his or her dependents, if applicable, to change to another QHP within the same level of coverage (or one metal level higher or lower, if no such QHP is available), as outlined in § 156.140(b) of this subchapter;

(B) If a dependent qualifies for a special enrollment period, and an enrollee who does not also qualify for a special enrollment period is adding the dependent to his or her QHP, the Exchange must allow the enrollee to add the dependent to his or her current QHP; or, if the QHP's business rules do not allow the dependent to enroll, the Exchange must allow the enrollee and his or her dependents to change to another QHP within the same level of coverage (or one metal level higher or lower, if no such QHP is available), as outlined in § 156.140(b) of this subchapter, or enroll the new qualified individual in a separate QHP; or

(C) If a qualified individual who is not an enrollee qualifies for a special enrollment period and has one or more dependents who are enrollees who do not also qualify for a special enrollment period, the Exchange must allow the newly enrolling qualified individual to add himself or herself to a dependent's current QHP; or, if the QHP's business rules do not allow the qualified individual to enroll in the dependent's current QHP, to enroll with his or her dependent(s) in another QHP within the same level of coverage (or one metal level higher or lower, if no such QHP is available), as outlined in § 156.140(b) of this subchapter, or enroll himself or herself in a separate QHP.

(5) Prior coverage requirement. Qualified individuals who are required to demonstrate coverage in the 60 days prior to a qualifying event can either demonstrate that they had minimum essential coverage as described in 26 CFR 1.5000A–1(b) or demonstrate that they had coverage as described in paragraphs (d)(1)(iii) or (iv) of this section for 1 or more days during the 60 days preceding the date of the qualifying event; lived in a foreign country or in a United States territory for 1 or more days during the 60 days preceding the date of the qualifying event; are an Indian as defined by section 4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act; or lived for 1 or more days during the 60 days preceding the qualifying event or during their most recent preceding enrollment period, as specified in §§ 155.410 and 155.420, in a service area where no qualified health plan was available through the Exchange.