A final rule was issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Treasury Department on September 12, 2021. It addressed issues related to affordable access to marketplace coverage, including reversing some Trump-era policies as well as introducing some new ones.

One of the new policies put in place was the creation of a unique special Enrollment period (SEP) specifically to help low-income Americans get access to affordable health coverage outside of the annual open enrollment period. 

While open enrollment typically only lasts from November to January in most states, special enrollment periods, triggered by qualifying life events, allow Americans to get coverage in other parts of the year.