This communication is an important announcement for those with customers and business in the following states/commonwealths/districts: Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Virginia.

The counties, parishes, boroughs, tribes, cities, municipalities, and/or villages noted below are under a federal or state-designated Special Enrollment Period (SEP) due to an emergency/disaster (DST).

Review the DST-SEP guidelines at the bottom of this email to ensure you stay compliant.

Florida

Declaration information Renewed

Declaration #384

State declaration: May North Florida Tornadoes

SEP incident dates: 05/10/2024 – 07/25/2025

This SEP declaration is effective: 05/10/2024 – 08/31/2025

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Baker, Columbia, Escambia, Gadsden, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, and Wakulla

Kentucky

Declaration information New

Declaration #732

FEMA declaration: Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

SEP incident dates: 04/02/2025 – 04/24/2026

This SEP declaration is effective: 04/02/2025 – 06/30/2026

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Anderson, Butler, Carroll, Christian, Clark, Franklin, Hardin, Hopkins, Jessamine, McCracken, Mercer, Owen, and Woodford counties. 

New Jersey

Declaration information New

Declaration #731

FEMA declaration: Jones Road Wildfire

SEP incident dates: 04/22/2025 – 04/24/2026

This SEP declaration is effective: 04/22/2025 – 06/30/2026

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Ocean County

New Mexico

Declaration information New

Declaration #729

State declaration: Fire Rio Grande

SEP incident dates: 04/17/2025 – 06/18/2025

This SEP declaration is effective: 04/17/2025 – 07/31/2025

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Valencia County 

North Carolina

Declaration information Renewed

Declaration #713

State declaration: Wildfires

SEP incident dates: 03/19/2025 – 06/21/2025

This SEP declaration is effective: 03/19/2025 – 07/31/2025

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey, as well as the tribal lands in the State of North Carolina held by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians 

Declaration information New

Declaration #733

FEMA declaration: Sam Davis Road Fire

SEP incident dates: 04/18/2025 – 04/20/2026

This SEP declaration is effective: 04/18/2025 – 06/30/2026

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Swain County

Oklahoma

Declaration information New

Declaration #734

State declaration: Heavy Rain, Flooding, and Severe Storms

SEP incident dates: 04/19/2025 – 06/26/2025

This SEP declaration is effective: 04/19/2025 – 07/31/2025

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Cleveland, Comanche, and Cotton

Texas

Declaration information Renewed

Declaration #715

State declaration: Severe Storms and Flooding

SEP incident dates: 03/27/2025 – 06/25/2025

This SEP declaration is effective: 03/27/2025 – 07/31/2025

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy Counties

Utah

Declaration information New

Declaration #730

State declaration: Drought Conditions

SEP incident dates: 04/24/2025 – 06/21/2025

This SEP declaration is effective: 04/24/2025 – 07/31/2025

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Washington, Iron, San Juan, Kane, Juab, Emery, Grand, Beaver, Garfield, Piute, Millard, Tooele, and Uintah 

Virginia

Declaration information Amendments include counties in bold

Declaration #727

FEMA declaration: Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

SEP incident dates: 02/10/2025 – 05/27/2025

This SEP declaration is effective: 02/10/2025 – 06/30/2025

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Buchanan, Buckingham, Campbell, Carroll, Charlotte, Craig, Cumberland, Dickenson, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Grayson, Halifax, Lee, Lunenburg, Montgomery, Nottoway, Page, Pittsylvania, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Pulaski, Rockingham, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe Counties and the independent city of Bristol

Please note: A DST-SEP application is only valid while the SEP declaration is in effect. If an end date is not listed, please refer to our Ongoing SEP tracker in Producers’ University for the most up-to-date information. Any SEP applications submitted outside of the SEP’s declaration date will be rejected.

IMPORTANT: Please be aware

• This does not mean that active marketing can occur.
• The SEP is only available for individuals that reside or resided at the start of the SEP eligibility period where a federal, state, or local government entity declared a disaster or other emergency.
• The individual was eligible for another election period at the time of the DST eligibility period and did not make an election during that other valid election period due to the disaster or other emergency.
• This does not mean that Cigna Healthcare initiated waiving of authorization or referral requirements.
• This does not extend waiving of prior authorizations, referrals, etc. 

SEP for individuals affected by a government-entity declared disaster or other emergency

42 CFR §§ 422.62(b)(18) and 423.38(c)(23)

Please review this link to refer to the guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on DST-SEPs.

Updates to our DST application process

Two key updates:

1.The date of the disaster is no longer required on any DST applications. 

2.The missed election period is not required on most applications. See clarification below.

Keep in mind: Some missed election periods will still require you to input the missed election period AND the date of the missed election period on the application. Some examples include MOV (moving) or LEC (losing group coverage). The application will contain an “open” date field next to the SEP selections that still require a date to help you know when it is required.

Please read below for important application instructions.

For all applications, ensure that the following fields are completed:

• Select “SEP” in the Select Enrollment Periodfield.
• Enter code “DST” in the SEP Codefield.
• If applicable, enter the date associated with the missed election period. For example, a date is needed only if the missed SEP already required a date, such as moving, losing group coverage, losing or gaining Medicaid, etc. If the missed SEP or election period does not require a date, you do not need to include it. However, adding it may expedite the review process. (i.e., AEP, OEP, LIS, MDE).

DST is not a standalone election period. If you have questions about DST eligibility, please review the Ongoing SEP Tracker in the Resource Center of Producers’ University.