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On Thursday, January 28, 2021, President Biden announced plans to reopen the federal health insurance markets for a nation-wide Special Enrollment Period. The 2021 Special Enrollment Period will begin on February 15 and run through May 15, 2021. However, if you are interested in changing your coverage, this is your chance to secure ACA-compliant health insurance outside of the annual Open Enrollment Period. Even though this is being called a 2021 COVID-19 Special Enrollment Period, you do not need to have experienced COVID-19, or even a Qualifying Life Event to enroll in (or change) coverage.

It’s easy to think that a long-term disability diagnosis will never happen to you. What are the chances of being diagnosed with a long-term disability if you work a desk job? If you have long-term disability coverage provided through your employer, you may want to review your current coverage amount and make changes if needed. Employer-provided plans will often only cover a limited portion of your salary and may not factor in any bonuses that you and your family rely on to pay your bills or maintain your lifestyle.

With millions of people working from home and many states enacting safer-at-home measures, Americans are feeling the financial, physical, and mental health effects of living in a coronavirus-infected world. Many states are imposing new limitations on gathering sizes, extending mask mandates, and even issuing mandatory quarantine periods (or negative COVID-19 test) for people traveling from other states. Consider using video chat services or avoiding in-person contact altogether through the holidays if you or a family member are at a high risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus. Due to the anticipated surge of online shoppers this season, many big-name retailers have announced changes to their traditional holiday sales such as online-only sales, online pick-up options, and more.

* The basics: your address, phone number, date of birth, SSN, household size, income level * Plan and premium details for any employer-based plan available to you or your household * Name and zip code of the current healthcare providers that you’d like to continue using Having this information ready when your counselor calls will help them efficiently guide you toward the best coverage for your needs. This is the only time of year to receive ACA-compliant health insurance coverage, unless you were to experience a qualifying life event. If you’re ready to see what the 2021 individual health insurance marketplace has to offer, we recommend scheduling an appointment with a licensed benefit counselor now.