After Open Enrollment ends, an individual can enroll in a individual health insurance plan only if you have a qualifying event that will grant a Special Election Period. Normally, you will have 60 days from the date of the qualifying event to enroll in a new plan. If you miss the 60-day deadline, you will have to wait until Open Enrollment for 2017 to enroll in a plan. Types of qualifying events can be: Marriage, Divorce, Birth or Adoption, Leaving Incarceration, Losing job-based coverage, Loss of COBRA,Medicaid or CHIP.