The car is packed, the condo is open, and the season is starting. Your health plan may not have made the trip. If you split the year between Palm Beach County and another state, snowbird health insurance depends on two things: who in your household is on Medicare, and which state the Marketplace counts as your home. This guide covers the residency and moving rules for seasonal residents in West Palm Beach, Greenacres, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth Beach, Wellington, and Jupiter, and what to check before you switch states.
This article is educational. Instant Health Help is a licensed Florida health insurance agency. We are not HealthCare.gov, Medicare, or an insurance company, and we do not quote prices or plan counts here. Check current rules on HealthCare.gov and Medicare.gov. Looking for year-round Marketplace help in Palm Beach County? See our page on ACA health insurance help in West Palm Beach and Greenacres.
The short answer
- Medicare and the Marketplace do not mix. Household members on Medicare stay on Medicare. Members under 65 can use the Marketplace.
- A Marketplace plan belongs to one state. HealthCare.gov says that when you move to a new state, you cannot keep your plan. You start a new application in the new state.
- A vacation is not a move. A permanent move to a new ZIP code or county can open a 60-day Special Enrollment Period. A short stay, a vacation, or a move only for medical treatment does not.
- Two real homes can count. CMS guidance says people who live in two states for long stretches of the year, such as a whole season, may be able to meet residency in either one. Your application has to be true about where you live.
- Check before you switch. Doctors in both places, prescriptions, and how the plan handles care away from home matter more than the plan name.
Snowbird health insurance in Palm Beach County: start with who is on Medicare
Many seasonal households have one person on Medicare and one who is not there yet. Those two people follow different rules.
Household members on Medicare
- HealthCare.gov says it is against the law for someone who knows you have Medicare to sell you a Marketplace plan, and once you have Part A or a Medicare Advantage plan you do not qualify for Marketplace savings.
- Original Medicare works with doctors who accept Medicare across the country. Medicare Advantage plans are built around a service area and a network.
- If a Medicare Advantage member is away from the plan’s service area for more than 6 months in a row, the plan generally has to disenroll them, unless the plan offers a visitor or traveler benefit. A permanent move out of the service area opens a Special Enrollment Period that starts when you move and lasts 2 full months after the move.
- Our snowbird guide to Medicare Advantage vs Supplement covers the Medicare side in depth.
Household members under 65
- They can enroll in a Marketplace plan in the state where they live, if they qualify.
- Turning 65 soon? Marketplace coverage does not end automatically when Medicare starts. See can I keep my Marketplace plan after 65?
- Retired early and not on Medicare yet? See early retiree health insurance in Florida.
Which state’s Marketplace counts as home?
For Marketplace coverage you generally buy a plan in the state where you live. A Florida Marketplace plan is for people who live in Florida.
- One main home, short trips away: a few weeks somewhere else is a temporary absence. Your home state stays the same.
- Two homes, long seasons in each: CMS guidance says someone who lives in two states for an entire season or similar long period may be able to establish residency in either or both. This is about where you really live, not where it is cheaper.
- Seasonal workers: a move to or from the place where you both live and work during the season can count as a move.
Florida uses HealthCare.gov. New York and New Jersey run their own Marketplace websites, while Texas, Tennessee, and Michigan use HealthCare.gov like Florida. Our agent is licensed in Florida, New York, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas, and Michigan, so we can help on both ends of many snowbird routes.
The permanent move Special Enrollment Period
Outside Open Enrollment, a permanent move can let you enroll in or change a Marketplace plan. HealthCare.gov rules:
- The move has to be real: a new home in a new ZIP code or county, or a move to the U.S. from another country or a U.S. territory.
- Prior coverage is usually required: you generally must have had qualifying health coverage for at least 1 day in the 60 days before the move. People moving from another country or a U.S. territory are an exception.
- You have 60 days: apply and choose a plan within 60 days after the move.
- Be ready to prove it: you may be asked for documents showing your new address and move date, such as a lease or mortgage papers, a utility bill, homeowner’s insurance, or government mail, plus proof of your earlier coverage.
- Moves that do not count: staying somewhere for vacation, or moving only for medical treatment.
Moving within Florida, for example from Orlando to Greenacres? Update your application with your new address. HealthCare.gov will tell you if you need to pick a new plan, and a move to a new county can open different plan options.
Moving between states: what happens to your Marketplace plan
HealthCare.gov is direct about this: when you move to a new state, you cannot keep your plan.
- Report the move right away so you can enroll in your new state without a break in coverage.
- Start a new application in the new state. If that state runs its own Marketplace, apply on its website.
- End the old plan so you do not keep paying for coverage that does not apply where you now live.
- Re-estimate your income for the new application. Savings are based on your household and income, and plan options follow your new address.
Need help with the paperwork? Our Spanish checklist of documentos para el Obamacare en Florida covers what to gather.
What to check before you switch states
- Doctors in both places. Many Marketplace plans have local networks. Check whether a plan has in-network doctors where you spend your time.
- Emergency vs routine care. Marketplace plans must cover emergency care, including at an out-of-network emergency room. Routine visits with out-of-network doctors may not be covered.
- Prescriptions and pharmacy. Make sure your drugs are on the plan’s list and that you can fill them where you will be.
- Who is turning 65. Plan Medicare timing for that person first, then the Marketplace plan for everyone else.
- Auto-renewal does not cross state lines. Automatic re-enrollment keeps you in a plan in the same state. Here is how Marketplace auto re-enrollment works.
- Metal level. Once you know which state, compare plan levels. Our guide to Bronze, Silver, and Gold in Florida explains the tradeoffs.
Key dates for coverage starting January 1
| Window | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplace Open Enrollment (HealthCare.gov states, including Florida) | November 1 to January 15 | Enroll by December 15 for coverage starting January 1. Enroll December 16 to January 15 and coverage starts February 1. |
| Medicare Annual Enrollment | October 15 to December 7 | For household members already on Medicare. Changes start January 1. |
| Permanent move Special Enrollment Period | 60 days after a qualifying move | Prior-coverage rule usually applies. |
States that run their own Marketplace can set different dates, so check that state’s website.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep my Florida Marketplace plan while I spend the summer up north?
A Florida plan is tied to Florida. A temporary stay does not change your home state, but routine care with out-of-network doctors in another state may not be covered. Check the plan’s network before you go.
I am moving to Palm Beach County full time. Can I sign up now?
If it is a permanent move to a new ZIP code or county and you had qualifying coverage for at least 1 day in the 60 days before, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Apply within 60 days of the move.
My spouse is on Medicare and I am 62. Can we be on the same plan?
No. Your spouse stays on Medicare. You can look at a Marketplace plan for yourself, and you may qualify for savings based on your household income.
Does wintering in Florida give me a Special Enrollment Period?
Not if it is a vacation. A move counts when it is a real change in where you live. CMS guidance does recognize people who truly live in two states for long seasons, but your application has to be true.
How Instant Health Help can help
We sort out snowbird households one person at a time: who is on Medicare, who needs a Marketplace plan, which state counts as home, and which networks reach both places. Then we help you apply and compare options we offer in your ZIP code. Help in English or Spanish.
Splitting the year between Palm Beach County and another state?
Tell us where you spend each season and who is in your household, and we will map your options before Open Enrollment opens November 1.
Call (321) 315-0054 | agent@inshh.com
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We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 10 organizations which offer 489 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.