Your Special Enrollment Period After PacificSource — How to Get New Coverage Without Waiting Until Open Enrollment

When an insurance company exits the health insurance market, most people assume they have to wait until the next open enrollment period to get a new plan. That’s a common misconception — and it could leave you with an unnecessary gap in coverage.

If your PacificSource plan is ending, you likely qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) that gives you a dedicated window to switch to a new plan outside of the regular enrollment season.

A Special Enrollment Period is a time outside of the standard open enrollment window when you’re allowed to enroll in, change, or drop an ACA Marketplace health insurance plan. These periods are triggered by what the ACA calls a qualifying life event.

Common qualifying life events include:

• Getting married or divorced
• Having a baby or adopting a child
• Moving to a new coverage area
• Losing employer-sponsored health coverage
• Turning 26 and aging off a parent’s plan
• Your insurance carrier leaving the Marketplace

Does PacificSource Leaving Trigger a Special Enrollment Period?

Yes. When your health insurance carrier exits the ACA Marketplace — as PacificSource is doing at the end of 2026 — you are entitled to a Special Enrollment Period to select a replacement plan. This is a federally protected right under the Affordable Care Act.

Your SEP window starts 60 days before your plan’s termination date and extends 60 days after it ends. For PacificSource members whose coverage ends on December 31, 2026:

• SEP opens: On or around November 1, 2026 (which conveniently coincides with the start of open enrollment for 2027)
• SEP closes: March 1, 2027 (60 days after your plan ends)

Important nuance: If you enroll in a new plan after December 31, 2026, your new plan will not be retroactively effective. The smart move is to enroll before December 31, 2026 so your new coverage begins January 1, 2027 with zero gap.

How to Use Your Special Enrollment Period

Step 1: Confirm your qualifying event. PacificSource is exiting the Montana ACA Marketplace at the end of 2026.

Step 2: Gather your information. Before you compare plans, have the following ready:

• Your household income or estimated income for 2027
• Names, birthdates, and Social Security numbers for everyone who needs coverage
• A list of your current doctors, specialists, and any ongoing prescriptions
• Your current plan details so you can compare coverage levels

Step 3: Compare available plans. In 2027, Montana’s Marketplace will include Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana and Mountain Health CO-OP.

Step 4: Enroll in your new plan. Use our secure enrollment portal to browse and sign up for plans: View and Enroll in Available Plans Here.

Step 5: Continue paying your PacificSource premiums until December 31. If you stop paying, your policy could lapse before your new coverage kicks in.

What Happens If You Don’t Act?

If you take no action before December 31, 2026, the Marketplace may attempt to auto-enroll you into a replacement plan. While this prevents you from being completely uninsured on January 1, it’s rarely ideal — the algorithm doesn’t account for your preferred doctors, prescriptions, or specific budget needs.

Even if you are auto-enrolled, you still have a 60-day window from January 1 to select your own plan. But if you pick a new plan in February 2027, it won’t take effect until March 1 — leaving you on the auto-selected plan for two months. The cleanest outcome is always to enroll on your own terms before the year ends.

Will I Still Get Subsidies with My New Plan?

In most cases, yes — provided your income and household situation haven’t changed significantly. Subsidies are available to households earning between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. In Montana, nearly 8 out of 10 Marketplace enrollees qualified for subsidies in 2026, reducing average monthly premiums by roughly $643.

Should You Talk to a Broker?

Yes — and now is exactly the right time. Switching carriers is not just about finding the cheapest monthly premium. You need to verify that your doctors are in-network, your prescriptions are covered, and your deductible structure makes sense for how often you use healthcare. An independent broker does all of this for you at no cost — brokers are compensated by the insurance carriers, not by clients.

We’re based locally in Montana and work with multiple carriers, giving you an honest comparison rather than a push toward one company’s plan.

Browse plans and enroll securely here: Click to View Your Plan Options.

If you want to know more about this and how we can help you set it up, please reach out to us!

Ph: 406 401 7220
E: [email protected]

-Klinton Jones
Principal Insurance Broker