Losing a job in Washington DC usually means losing employer-sponsored health coverage on the last day of the month you leave, or sometimes on your last day of work. The District runs its own state-based Marketplace, DC Health Link, so you enroll at dchealthlink.com and not at the federal healthcare.gov platform. A job-loss Special Enrollment Period (SEP) is a qualifying life event that lets you buy coverage outside the annual Open Enrollment Period. DC Health Link gives you 60 days before and 60 days after the coverage-loss date to choose a plan, so a layoff notice that arrives weeks in advance already starts your clock. Section 9831 (HIPAA) creditable-coverage rules and the federal Marketplace SEP rules at healthcare.gov make the loss of employer coverage one of the most common SEP triggers. Time matters this fall: DC Health Link's Open Enrollment Period for 2027 plans begins November 1, 2026 and ends January 31, 2027, and the plans you can pick right now depend on whether you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period or wait for that window.
Washington DC changed its safety net on January 1, 2026, and the change matters for anyone laid off this year. DC Medicaid income limits for parents, caretakers, and childless adults dropped to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), down from 221% and 215%, according to the Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF). Adults between 138% and 200% FPL now use the Healthy DC Plan, a program run through DC Health Link for residents ages 21 to 64. Above 200% FPL, qualified health plans from CareFirst or Kaiser Permanente are the path, with premium tax credits up to 400% FPL in 2026. The enhanced premium tax credits from the American Rescue Plan Act and the Inflation Reduction Act expired January 1, 2026, so the 400% FPL subsidy cliff is back. DC residents must also carry coverage or pay a penalty on their DC tax return. This guide gives you seven steps to compare DC Medicaid, the Healthy DC Plan, DC Health Link plans, and COBRA before your 60-day window closes.
7 Steps to Get Coverage
Common Mistakes That Cost People Thousands
Washington DC residents lose coverage or overpay in 2026 by making these mistakes after a layoff:
- Applying at healthcare.gov instead of DC Health Link. Washington DC runs a state-based Marketplace at dchealthlink.com, and individual plans can only be bought there.
- Assuming old Medicaid limits still apply. DC Medicaid for adults fell to 138% FPL on January 1, 2026, so a household above $22,025 for one person in 2026 should look at the Healthy DC Plan or Marketplace plans.
- Electing COBRA and then expecting a Marketplace SEP. Enrolling in COBRA by choice does not open a new SEP, and dropping COBRA voluntarily mid-year leaves you waiting for Open Enrollment.
- Using your old salary to estimate 2026 income. Premium tax credits use projected 2026 income including unemployment benefits, and an inflated estimate can leave you repaying credits with Form 8962.
- Skipping coverage entirely. DC residents must carry health coverage or pay a penalty on their DC tax return unless exempt, and a gap leaves you exposed to full hospital bills.
Medicaid Eligibility After Losing Your Job in Washington DC in 2026
Washington DC treats Medicaid eligibility differently in 2026 than it did a year earlier. The Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) lowered income limits for parents, caretakers, and childless adults to 138% FPL effective January 1, 2026, which means $22,025 for a single person and $45,540 for a family of 4. Adults whose incomes sit between 138% and 200% FPL now move to the Healthy DC Plan, a program for residents ages 21 to 64 that runs through DC Health Link and has no premium reported for enrollees. A laid-off worker who projects low 2026 income can often qualify for DC Medicaid or the Healthy DC Plan the same week, without waiting for an SEP. Apply through dchealthlink.com or call DC Health Link at 855-532-5465. Per medicaid.gov, Medicaid enrollment is year-round, and DC is one of the 40 states plus DC that expanded Medicaid under the ACA. Anyone above 200% FPL uses qualified health plans with premium tax credits up to 400% FPL, which is $63,840 for one person in 2026.
How DC Health Link Works for a 2026 Job-Loss SEP
DC Health Link is the District's state-based Marketplace, and individual and family plans can only be bought there, not off-exchange. Two carriers sell 2026 individual plans: CareFirst (HMO and PPO) and Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States (HMO only). When coverage ends on the last day of a month, DC Health Link gives you 120 days to choose, starting 60 days before the loss date. For a mid-month loss, you have 60 days from the day coverage ends, and the start date can be the first of the month your old coverage ended or the first of the month after you pick a plan. DC Health Link's 2027 Open Enrollment Period runs November 1, 2026 through January 31, 2027, and plans chosen by December 15, 2026 start January 1, 2027. Approved 2027 individual and family rates rise 9.9% on a weighted average before subsidies, so subsidy size matters more next year. KFF tracks Marketplace types by state if you want to compare how other states handle special enrollment.
Documents and Proof for a Washington DC Job-Loss SEP in 2026
Each document for a Washington DC job-loss SEP in 2026 serves a specific purpose. A termination letter or insurer notice proves the qualifying life event and the exact coverage end date, which sets the start and end of your 60-day window. Section 9831 (HIPAA) creditable-coverage rules treat employer group coverage as qualifying prior coverage, so the notice should name the plan and the end date. Pay stubs or a DC unemployment award letter establish your projected 2026 Modified Adjusted Gross Income, which decides whether you land in DC Medicaid, the Healthy DC Plan, or a subsidized DC Health Link plan. Proof of DC residency confirms you can use the District's programs. Social Security or immigration numbers let DC Health Link verify identity and lawful presence with federal data. Upload everything to your dchealthlink.com account soon after you choose a plan, because Marketplace verification deadlines run on their own clock. Keep copies, since your 1095-A in January 2027 must match the premium tax credit you claimed on your 2026 federal return.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to get health insurance after losing my job in Washington DC?
Washington DC gives you a 60-day Special Enrollment Period on DC Health Link. You can choose a plan up to 60 days before your employer coverage ends and up to 60 days after it ends. If coverage ends October 31, 2026, your window runs September 1, 2026 through December 30, 2026. DC Medicaid and the Healthy DC Plan have no deadline and accept applications year-round. A spouse's employer plan usually allows 30 days. If you miss the SEP, the 2027 Open Enrollment Period runs November 1, 2026 through January 31, 2027.
How do I document job loss for a DC Health Link Special Enrollment Period?
Upload a termination letter from your employer, a notice from your health insurer showing the coverage end date, or a final pay stub with a benefits cutoff to your dchealthlink.com account. Section 9831 (HIPAA) creditable-coverage rules treat employer group coverage as qualifying prior coverage, so the document should name the plan and the end date. For Medicaid or the Healthy DC Plan, add Social Security numbers, proof of DC residency, and 2026 income proof such as pay stubs or a DC unemployment award letter. Submit proof promptly because unverified enrollments can be canceled.
What if I miss the 60-day Special Enrollment Period in Washington DC?
Missing the 60-day Marketplace SEP means you cannot buy a DC Health Link plan until the next Open Enrollment Period, which runs November 1, 2026 through January 31, 2027 for 2027 plans. Plans chosen by December 15, 2026 start January 1, 2027, while later choices start February or March. DC Medicaid and the Healthy DC Plan are the exceptions because they accept applications year-round. DC residents must also carry coverage or pay a penalty on their DC tax return, so a gap has both medical and tax costs.
Can I get retroactive coverage after losing my job in Washington DC?
DC Health Link lets you choose a coverage start date of the first of the month your old coverage ended, or the first of the month after you select a plan, depending on your situation, so you can avoid a gap in many cases. You must still pay the premium for the back month. DC Medicaid may cover a recent period before your application when you were eligible, which DHCF decides case by case. Apply as early as possible, since coverage dates depend on when you choose a plan and when you submit documents.
What is the difference between COBRA and DC Health Link after a layoff?
COBRA keeps your old employer plan at 102% of the full group premium, typically $400 to $900/month for one person or $1,200 to $2,800/month for a family in 2026, for up to 18 months. DC Health Link plans from CareFirst and Kaiser Permanente can cost far less once premium tax credits apply, though you may change doctors. COBRA fits when a specialist is out of network or you nearly met your 2026 deductible. You have 60 days from the COBRA notice to elect, and voluntarily choosing COBRA does not open a new Marketplace SEP.
What Washington DC rules affect my coverage options after job loss in 2026?
Washington DC runs its own Marketplace at dchealthlink.com, and individual plans can only be bought there. Effective January 1, 2026, DC Medicaid for adults fell to 138% FPL, with the Healthy DC Plan covering ages 21 to 64 from 138% to 200% FPL. Two carriers, CareFirst and Kaiser Permanente, sell individual plans. DC residents must carry coverage or pay a penalty on their DC tax return unless exempt. Federal COBRA covers employers with 20 or more employees.
Do I qualify for DC Medicaid or the Healthy DC Plan after losing my job?
DC Medicaid covers adults whose projected 2026 income is under 138% FPL, which is $22,025 for one person and $45,540 for a family of 4. The Healthy DC Plan covers residents ages 21 to 64 from 138% to 200% FPL in 2026, which is $31,920 for one person and $66,000 for a family of 4. Both count unemployment benefits as income and enroll year-round. Apply at dchealthlink.com or call 855-532-5465, and use the household-size table on this page to find your line.
What happens to my children's coverage after I lose my job in Washington DC?
Children in Washington DC can qualify for Medicaid or CHIP even when a parent does not, because DC children's income limits are among the highest in the country, near 324% FPL in 2026. Apply at dchealthlink.com, where one application screens the whole household. Children's enrollment is year-round with no deadline. If you pick a DC Health Link plan during your 60-day SEP, children can join the same plan, and their premium tax credit is figured as part of your household subsidy.
