CHIP coverage for a child ends at age 19 in nearly every state, and the end date is usually the child's 19th birthday or the last day of that birthday month. Aging out of CHIP in 2026 is a qualifying life event that opens a Marketplace Special Enrollment Period (SEP), and HealthCare.gov gives a 90-day window after the CHIP end date to pick a plan. Parents and young adults can also apply up to 60 days before coverage ends, which avoids any gap. The Children's Health Insurance Program runs under a different brand in many states, such as Medi-Cal for Kids in California, AllKids in Illinois, HUSKY Health in Connecticut, and NJ FamilyCare in New Jersey, so the notice you received may not say CHIP at all. Three coverage paths usually open at 19: adult Medicaid (free or near-free, year-round enrollment, income limit 138% of the federal poverty level in 2026 across the 40 expansion states plus DC), a parent's employer plan (open to age 26), and an ACA Marketplace plan with premium tax credits. The right choice depends on household income and on whether your state expanded Medicaid. This page walks through the 90-day deadline, the 2026 income table, the documents to gather, and the denial reasons to avoid.
Most young adults who age out of CHIP in 2026 land in one of two groups. In the 40 Medicaid expansion states plus DC, a 19-year-old in a household under 138% of the 2026 federal poverty level qualifies for adult Medicaid, which Medi-Cal, AHCCCS, MassHealth, and other state programs deliver at little or no cost. In the 10 non-expansion states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, Wyoming), childless adults face far stricter limits, so the Marketplace is often the main path, with premium tax credits from 100% to 400% of the 2026 federal poverty level. The 400% subsidy cliff returned on January 1, 2026 after enhanced premium tax credits expired, so a household above $63,840 for one person in 2026 receives no subsidy. Timing matters because choices made now affect 2027: Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027, and enrolling by December 15, 2026 starts coverage January 1, 2027. Medicaid never closes, so applying there first costs nothing. Use the 6 steps below, check the table for your household size, and keep every notice from your state agency.
6 Steps to Get Coverage
Common Mistakes That Cost People Thousands
The costliest mistakes after aging out of CHIP in 2026 involve timing and household income:
- Waiting for a new notice instead of acting. The 90-day Marketplace window starts on the CHIP end date, not the date a letter arrives.
- Skipping Medicaid. A 19-year-old in an expansion state under 138% FPL pays nothing in 2026 on Medicaid but could pay a premium on the Marketplace.
- Counting the wrong household. Tax dependents count with the household that claims them, while independent filers count alone, so check both versions.
- Ignoring the 30-day proof request. Unverified Special Enrollment Period plans can be canceled, which creates a gap in coverage.
- Forgetting 1095-A at tax time. Skipping Form 8962 can block premium tax credits the following year.
Medicaid Eligibility After Aging Out of CHIP in 2026
Adult Medicaid is the first option to check after CHIP ends in 2026 because enrollment has no deadline, premiums are usually $0 in 2026, and benefits are comprehensive. In the 40 expansion states plus DC, adults ages 19 to 64 qualify when household income is at or below 138% of the federal poverty level, which equals $22,025 for a household of 1 and $45,540 for a household of 4 in 2026. State programs use their own names: California's Medi-Cal, Arizona's AHCCCS, Massachusetts's MassHealth, Washington's Apple Health, Oregon's OHP, and Kentucky's Medicaid through kynect. Household size follows tax filing rules: a 19-year-old claimed as a dependent counts with the parents' household, while a young adult who files independently counts alone. That distinction can move a 19-year-old from ineligible to eligible, so run the calculation both ways at healthcare.gov or your state portal. Apply at healthcare.gov or your state Medicaid agency, and read medicaid.gov for federal eligibility rules. In the 10 non-expansion states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, Wyoming), childless adults generally do not qualify for Medicaid, so the Marketplace with 2026 premium tax credits becomes the main path.
Medicaid work and community engagement rules are the 2027 wrinkle for 19-year-olds moving to adult coverage. Under the 2025 federal budget law, expansion states must begin requiring most adult expansion enrollees ages 19 to 64 to document 80 hours per month of work, volunteering, or at least half-time school enrollment no later than January 1, 2027, with exemptions for groups such as parents of children 13 and under, people who are medically frail, and former foster youth under 26. Applicants are checked for compliance at application and renewal, so a student or part-time worker who enrolls in Medicaid in late 2026 should keep pay stubs or school enrollment records. Your state Medicaid agency notice states the exact start date, because some states may begin earlier or receive approved delays. Medicaid.gov publishes the federal guidance, and KFF tracks each state's implementation. A young adult who cannot meet the requirement and is not exempt can still use the Marketplace SEP while the 90-day window is open, so start the Marketplace comparison early.
How the 90-Day Marketplace Window Works After CHIP Ends
Marketplace Special Enrollment Period timing after CHIP ends follows a split schedule that many families misread. HealthCare.gov lets you apply as early as 60 days before CHIP coverage ends, and you have 90 days after the date coverage ended to pick a plan, which is longer than the standard 60-day window for losing job-based coverage. A plan picked before CHIP ends can start the first day of the month after CHIP ends, so no gap occurs. A plan picked after CHIP ends starts the first day of the month after you pick it, which leaves a gap. For a CHIP end date of October 31, 2026, the earliest enrollment date is September 1, 2026 and the last date is January 29, 2027. After plan selection, the Marketplace may ask for proof of the loss of coverage within 30 days, so upload the CHIP termination notice immediately. Tax time matters too: the Marketplace sends Form 1095-A in January 2027 for 2026 coverage, and you reconcile advance premium tax credits on Form 8962 with your federal return. Income estimates that miss actual income create either a repayment or a refund.
Why Each Document Matters for the CHIP-to-Marketplace Switch
Documents for the CHIP-to-Marketplace switch prove three things: who you are, what you earn, and that CHIP ended. The state termination or age-out notice proves the qualifying life event and is the document the Marketplace requests when it reviews a Special Enrollment Period. Pay stubs, a tax return, or an employer letter prove household income, which sets both Medicaid eligibility at 138% of the 2026 federal poverty level and the size of the premium tax credit. Social Security numbers and proof of citizenship or lawful status let the Marketplace run the federal data-matching check, and a mismatch opens a 90-day window to submit corrected papers. Tax household details, including who claims the 19-year-old as a dependent in 2026, decide whose income counts. Gather these papers before you start, because every missing document delays Medicaid or Marketplace approval by days and can push a plan start date past the first of the month.
State CHIP Brands and Age Rules After 19
State program brands decide what your notice looks like and which portal you use after CHIP ends. California's Medi-Cal for Kids moves to adult Medi-Cal, and since January 1, 2024 income-eligible adults qualify regardless of immigration status. Illinois's AllKids ends at 19, then adult Medicaid or Get Covered Illinois applies. Colorado's CHP+ ends at 19, and Health First Colorado covers adults up to 138% of the 2026 federal poverty level, with Connect for Health Colorado as the Marketplace. Massachusetts's MassHealth reviews eligibility under adult rules at 19, and state-subsidized ConnectorCare plans sit above the MassHealth limit. Wisconsin's BadgerCare Plus covers childless adults up to 100% of the 2026 federal poverty level despite no formal expansion, and Texas has no adult Medicaid for childless adults, so Texas young adults go to the Marketplace. Connecticut's HUSKY Health and New Jersey's NJ FamilyCare run the same adult screening at 19. Read your notice for the program name, then use that state's portal or healthcare.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Enrollment Period window for aging out of CHIP?
The Marketplace SEP for losing CHIP runs from 60 days before your coverage ends through 90 days after it. For a CHIP end date of October 31, 2026, the window opens September 1, 2026 and closes January 29, 2027. HealthCare.gov counts this as loss of Medicaid or CHIP, which carries a longer 90-day tail than the standard 60-day loss-of-coverage window. Picking a plan before the end date avoids any gap, because coverage starts the first day of the month after CHIP ends.
How do I document aging out of CHIP for a Special Enrollment Period?
Upload the CHIP termination or age-out notice from your state agency. The Marketplace may ask for it within 30 days of choosing a plan, and plans without proof can be canceled. If you lost the letter, log in to your state CHIP or Medicaid account and download the notice, or call the agency for a replacement. Pay stubs or a tax return prove income, and Social Security numbers plus proof of citizenship or lawful status complete the application.
What if I miss the 90-day window after CHIP ends?
Missing the 90-day window means you wait for Open Enrollment, which runs November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027 for 2027 coverage. Enrolling by December 15, 2026 starts coverage January 1, 2027. Until then you may have no coverage unless another qualifying life event applies. Medicaid is the exception: you can apply any day of the year in 2026 and are not bound by the Marketplace window, so check Medicaid even after the deadline.
Can I get retroactive coverage after CHIP ends?
Marketplace coverage is not retroactive. It starts the first day of the month after you pick a plan, or the first day after CHIP ends if you pick before the end date. Medicaid can cover up to 3 months before the application month in many states in 2026 if you were eligible then, but the 2025 federal budget law shortens that window for applications starting January 2027. Ask your state Medicaid agency which rule applies to your application date.
What is the difference between COBRA and Marketplace after CHIP?
COBRA rarely applies after CHIP because a CHIP child was usually not on a parent's employer plan, and COBRA covers only people who were on that plan before a qualifying event. When COBRA does apply, it costs 102% of the full premium, roughly $400 to $900 per month for an individual in 2026. Marketplace plans cost about 2.1% to 9.96% of income for the benchmark Silver plan in 2026 after premium tax credits, so Marketplace is almost always cheaper.
What state-specific rules apply when CHIP ends at 19?
State programs decide what happens next. California's Medi-Cal and Colorado's Health First Colorado cover income-eligible adults up to 138% FPL in 2026. Wisconsin's BadgerCare Plus covers childless adults up to 100% FPL in 2026. Texas has no Medicaid for most childless adults, so Texas young adults use the Marketplace. Massachusetts offers ConnectorCare above MassHealth limits. Read your CHIP notice for the exact program brand, then confirm the adult rules on that state's Medicaid agency site.
Do I qualify for Medicaid after aging out of CHIP?
In the 40 expansion states plus DC, a 19-year-old qualifies when household income is at or below 138% FPL, which is $22,025 for 1 person and $45,540 for 4 people in 2026. A tax dependent counts in the claiming household's size and income. In the 10 non-expansion states, childless adults generally do not qualify. Use the household-size table above, then apply at healthcare.gov or your state Medicaid agency, which decides eligibility year-round.
What happens to my other children's coverage when one ages out of CHIP?
Younger siblings under 19 keep CHIP or Medicaid as long as the household stays within the state limit, which is typically 200% to 300% FPL in 2026 depending on the state. Aging out affects only the child who turns 19. A young adult who becomes a parent can also qualify a newborn for Medicaid or CHIP, and a parent's employer plan can cover the 19-year-old to age 26.
