Life can change in many ways. You might have a change in income (how much money your household makes), get married or have a baby. When these things happen, it’s important to tell Access Health CT (AHCT) right away. Updating your information will help you get the right health insurance. And make sure you can get help paying for your plan if you qualify.
What is a life change?
A life change is something big that happens in your life. Some of these changes may let you sign up for a health or dental insurance plan or make changes to your current plan(s). You can even make these changes outside the yearly Open Enrollment Period. These life changes are called Qualifying Life Events (QLEs). They include:
- A change in household income
- Getting married or divorced
- Having a baby or adopting a child
- Moving to Connecticut
- Losing your insurance through a job.
If you have one of these changes, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). You usually have 60 days to sign up for health or dental insurance or change your plan.
Why reporting life changes matters
If you have a change to your household income, where you live or who lives with you, you need to let Access Health CT know right away. These changes can affect the financial help you get to lower your health insurance costs. The financial help that is paid each month to your insurance company is a tax credit. It’s known as an Advanced Premium Tax Credit (APTC). An APTC helps lower the cost of your monthly payment (called a premium).
The amount of help you get is based on your household income and household details. If anything changes and you don’t report it, your financial help might not be correct. Later, when you file your federal income tax return, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will check if you got the right amount of help. If you received the wrong amount of APTCs, you will have to pay it back.
If you tell us about any changes in your life as soon as they happen, we can adjust the payments made to your insurance company. This will keep you from having to pay back money during tax time.
Reporting a change in income
If how much income your household makes changes, it is important to tell AHCT right away. Income can include pay from your or your spouse’s job or other income you make during the year.
The amount of financial help you get for your health plan is based on your household’s income. To report a change, log in to your account at AccessHealthCT.com or call us at 1-855-805-4325.
Adding a newborn to your health plan
One of the most exciting life changes is bringing home a new baby. Newborns are automatically covered under their mother’s health plan for the first 61 days. You will need to add your baby to your insurance plan through Access Health CT by the time they are 2 months old. If you don’t add your baby, they might not have insurance after the temporary coverage ends.
How to report a life change
It’s easy to report a life change. You usually have 60 days from the date of your life change to report it and sign up for health insurance. You can:
- Sign into your Access Health CT account. Click Edit my Settings to change your contact information (including your address). You can update your application to report other changes.
- Call AHCT at 1-855-805-4325. Our Enrollment Specialists can help you update your account.
- Schedule an appointment with an Enrollment Specialist.
- Get help in person at a Navigator location or with a Certified Broker.
You may need to submit verification documents to AHCT to confirm your life change within 30 days of selecting your health plan. For example, if you have a new baby, you may need to send a birth certificate or hospital record. If your household income changes, a recent pay stub may be required.
Still have questions?
Whether you have questions about health or dental insurance or other topics, the Access Health CT team is ready and available to help. Remember, all help is free.
- Visit our Get Help page for a full list of resources.
- Chat with Us: Click the “Live Chat” icon on any page.
- Call us at 1-855-805-4325. Customers who are deaf or have trouble hearing may call us with a relay operator or use the TTY at 1-855-789-2428. We speak more than 100 languages.
- Find a Certified Broker near you who can recommend an insurance plan that is right for your needs and budget.
- Make an appointment with an Enrollment Specialist for personalized help.