Special Enrollment Period |
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With open enrollment ending, a person may still be able to sign up for or change their coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace if they qualify for a “Special Enrollment Period” (SEP).
When Can a SEP be Used?
Most qualifying events allow 60 days before or after the event to enroll or change plans.
Qualifying Life Events May Include:
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Loss of other health coverage (for example, losing employer-based insurance, aging off a parent’s plan at age 26, or losing Medicaid/CHIP coverage).
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Change in household status: marriage, divorce or legal separation, having a baby, adopting a child, or gaining/losing a dependent
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Change in residence: moving to a new ZIP code or county, moving to/from school, seasonal-work relocation, or moving into transitional housing or shelter when those affect eligibility or plan availability.
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Other situations: changes to income or household size that affect eligibility, becoming a U.S. citizen or gaining lawful presence, leaving incarceration, or other special statuses.
Learn more about special enrollment here. |
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TIP:
If you’re not sure whether a change qualifies, always refer your client to Get Covered South Dakota . |
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Bring Health Coverage Education
to Your Community |
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We love working with partners to help South Dakotans understand their health insurance options and why coverage matters. Our team can join you for presentations, in-person trainings, or outreach tables. We tailor each visit to fit your audience—whether that’s clients, staff, students, or community members. If your organization is interested in hosting an educational session or inviting us to an upcoming event, we’d love to connect.
Interested in hosting us? Please reach out to our team to discuss opportunities and scheduling. Bzephier@communityhealthcare.net |
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Partner Highlight:
Career Learning Center of the Black Hills |
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In November, our team spent two days in Rapid City with the Career Learning Center of the Black Hills. Together we hosted in-person enrollment support and community workshops to help individuals and families get affordable health coverage for 2026. It was a major success!
We completed a record number of enrollments in two days, scheduled several virtual appointments for the following week, and scored a few testimonials! |
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"We are grateful to have partnered with the Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas during the health care marketplace enrollment period. This partnership not only strengthens the health of our students and their families, but it supports the West River workforce and our health care system.
Having CHAD come to our classroom and explain the marketplace, enrollment process, and answer questions was a necessary service to our students. Not only did they understand more about the health care system in the United States, but they were also able to ask important questions that were relevant to their personal experiences and needs. During the workshop, nine of the students were able to enroll for a good plan for them and their families. Having the navigators come to our classroom and be able to work in person with each person was part of what made this collaboration a great success!”
—Career Learning Center of the Black Hills |
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Support Client DIY Marketplace Enrollment |
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We’ve launched a new DIY: Enroll in the Marketplace web page. This resource is best for clients who:
We encourage you to share this resource with clients who are comfortable using the Marketplace on their own but may benefit from trusted guidance and clear instructions. As always, our Navigator team remains available for referrals when clients need personalized assistance or encounter barriers during enrollment.
See the page here. |
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Support Materials
on Get Covered South Dakota
Visit our online resource of important links, outreach-ready content, and downloadable tools you can share. Find resources on:
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Medicaid v. Marketplace: Income Cheat-Sheet;
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Marketplace Rule and Policy Changes
1-Pager;
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Health Insurance Referral Social Graphics; and, more!
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This publication is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $160,000 with 100-percent funded by CMS/HHS. The content are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government. |
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