Can I drop my Ascen health coverage to buy a Marketplace plan?
Last updated: October 6, 2026
Applies to: US W-2 employees enrolled in health benefits through Ascen. Independent contractors, Canadian T4 employees and international workers are not on these plans, so this does not apply to them.
Summary: Not partway through the plan year. Buying an individual plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace (or your state's exchange) is not a qualifying life event on its own, so it does not let you cancel your Ascen coverage early. You can drop Ascen coverage at Ascen's annual open enrollment, which is usually held in June for a plan year that starts on July 1, or within 30 days of a genuine qualifying life event.
Why buying another plan does not count
Your health premiums come out of your pay before taxes. The rules for pre-tax benefit plans only allow a change in the middle of the plan year when a specific life event has happened, and the change has to fit that event. Deciding you would prefer a different plan, or a cheaper one, is a choice rather than a life event, so enrolling in a Marketplace plan does not open a window to cancel.
You may have seen gaining access to other health coverage on the list of qualifying life events. The example given there is your spouse starting a job with a plan that covers you: new access that comes from a change in your circumstances. Choosing to buy a Marketplace plan yourself is not the same thing. See What is a Qualifying Life Event? for the full list, including what does not count.
When your Ascen coverage can change
At annual open enrollment. Ascen's open enrollment is usually held in June, ahead of the plan year that runs from July 1 to June 30. A change you make then, including dropping coverage, applies to the new plan year. The exact dates can change from year to year.
Within 30 days of a qualifying life event, with supporting documentation, for a change that fits the event. See How can I change my benefits? and What documentation is required for a Qualifying Life Event (QLE)?.
When your employment with Ascen ends. Your coverage is tied to your employment and ends with it. See When do my health benefits end?.
If you are planning a switch for next year
Marketplace plans have their own enrollment periods, set by the Marketplace rather than by Ascen, and they do not line up with Ascen's July to June plan year. We cannot end your Ascen coverage on a date you choose just to match a Marketplace start date. Before you buy a Marketplace plan, check two things:
When your Ascen coverage could actually end: at the start of the next Ascen plan year if you drop it at open enrollment, or earlier only if you have a qualifying life event or your employment ends.
Whether the dates overlap. If they do, you would be enrolled in, and paying for, both plans until your Ascen coverage can end.
If something has happened that you think might be a qualifying life event, email support@ascen.com and ask within the 30 days rather than after.
Who to contact
Ascen (support@ascen.com): whether you can drop coverage, qualifying life events, open enrollment timing, and your coverage end date.
The Marketplace: Marketplace plans, their enrollment periods, and your eligibility for them.
Your health plan: what your current coverage includes. See Who do I contact about my healthcare benefits?.
This is a general explanation of how the plan works, not tax or legal advice. Your plan documents are the final word; see Where can I view the Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs)?.