When will my coverage start?

Coverage will usually start on the first day of the month following plan selection (for example, if you selected a plan on Dec. 31, your coverage would start on Jan. 1).

For the birth or adoption of a child, or acceptance of a child into foster care , you can choose to have coverage start on:

• The first day of the month following the birth, adoption, or placement in your foster care of a child, or
• The date of the birth, adoption, or placement in foster care, or
• The first day of the month following plan selection.

In addition, you can choose a different date (or a different date may apply) for the following qualifying life events:

• Appeals decisions:
  • The date specified in the appeal decision, or
  • First day of the following month.
  • At the enrollee's request or request of the authorized representative:
    • On the date of the event; or
    • On the first day of the month following the event; or
    • ​On the first day of the month following plan selection.
    • At the enrollee’s request:
      • Effective date of the court order, or
      • First day of the month following plan selection.
      • Coverage for the remaining household members begins the first of the month following QHP selection.
      • ​On the first day of the month following the triggering event; or
      • ​On the first day of the month following plan selection (if plan selected after the date of the triggering event).
      • Violation of contract by a Covered California plan; or
      • Exceptional circumstances, including hardship, change regarding an exemption; or
      • Natural or human-caused disaster resulting in a declared state of emergency in California; or
      • National public health emergency or pandemic; or
      • Determined ineligible for Medi-Cal or CHIP after end of Covered California's open-enrollment period (after applying during Covered California's open-enrollment period or special enrollment period); or
      • Error causing decision to purchase a QHP through the exchange:
        • An appropriate date decided by Covered California (including a retroactive date), on a case-by-case basis
        • Loss of enrollment in a non-calendar-year group health plan or individual health insurance coverage; or
        • Newly ineligible for qualifying coverage in an eligible employer-sponsored plan:
          • Whichever date is later:
            • ​​​​First day of the month following plan selection, or​
            • ​​On the first day of the month following the loss of coverage — (if the applicants know that they will lose coverage in the future).