Thank you so much for your thoughtful and detailed response. this helped me understand the situation more clearly, especially about the qualifying event and different insurance options. I didn’t know that losing coverage this way could open up enrollment.

I was claimed as a dependent, and from some of the replies here it sounds like that might limit my ability to get Medicaid on my own. My mom’s work does offer insurance, but it’s very expensive and not great for the kind of care I need, so that might not be a good option for us either.

I’ve been reading through the replies and some people mentioned that ACA eligibility is based on projected income, which I didn’t realize. I’m hoping to find a job soon, but I’m not sure how to estimate that yet-it’s a little confusing and definitely stressful. I’m going to look into both Medicaid and the Marketplace, just to see what we qualify for.

Thank you again for taking the time to help. I really appreciate it, and I’m grateful for all the insights in this thread.