States Launch Special Enrollment for Consumers Who Lost Aetna Marketplace Coverage
Consumers in several states who had Aetna marketplace coverage in 2025 are being offered a dedicated special enrollment period after the insurer exited ACA marketplaces nationally, including New Jersey, for the 2026 plan year. According to Get Covered New Jersey, Aetna is not available through the state's marketplace for 2026 at all.
Consumers who had Aetna coverage that ended December 31, 2025, and had not yet selected a new plan by mid-December, were automatically enrolled in a similar plan with a new carrier to avoid a coverage gap, and were notified of any financial assistance for which they qualify, the state marketplace said.
Those who have not yet enrolled can use a special enrollment period by selecting the qualifying life event "Lost other minimum essential coverage" and noting the December 31, 2025 end date; coverage under this pathway begins the first day of the following month.
The Aetna exit is one of several marketplace insurer changes reported heading into 2026, alongside insurer entries and exits noted by healthinsurance.org, which can shift benchmark premiums and subsidy amounts even for consumers who don't change plans themselves.