u/Hopeful_Floor4492

Hi all,

I’m trying to understand Special Enrollment Period (SEP) eligibility for my mother and would really appreciate any guidance.

Situation:

She has a green card (since 2024) and lives with me in Virginia (22191)
She traveled abroad in April 2026
While abroad, she was diagnosed with aggressive cancer and had to start chemo immediately
She plans to return to the U.S. around Sept–Oct 2026
She currently has no U.S. health insurance since she never had any health issues or needed it

Questions:

Would her return to the U.S. after being abroad for several months qualify her for a Special Enrollment Period?
Does it matter that she technically already had a U.S. address before leaving?
If SEP is not granted, are there any other ways to get ACA-compliant coverage outside Open Enrollment?
Has anyone successfully used “exceptional circumstances” SEP due to a serious medical condition like cancer?
Should we apply on Healthcare.gov from abroad with a future return date, or wait until she physically arrives?

Main goal is to make sure she can get coverage immediately upon return for surgery and ongoing cancer care.

Any insights (especially from people familiar with ACA rules or similar cases) would be really helpful.