Question: Does marriage qualify for a special enrollment period? If so how soon can the newly married individuals be covered in Covered California.

Answer: Yes. Marriage is SEP triggering event. This means that, if a qualified individual gets married, he or she has the chance to either enroll in a QHP - in-exchange or off exchange - for the first time, or add a spouse to the plan without waiting for the annual open enrollment period. If the exchange is notified before the last day of the month when the marriage occurred, coverage will begin the 1st of the following month. If a marriage occurs and the exchange is notified after the end of the month when the marriage occurred, coverage will begin the 1st of the month following the notification. Covered California would need to be notified within 60 days of a marriage for a spouse to be covered. If the 60-day deadline is missed, the spouse cannot enroll until the plan’s annual open enrollment period.