Disaster Special Election Periods (DST-SEPs)

DST-SEPs in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri and Texas

Agents are encouraged to use caution to distinguish between the guidance in effect for each disaster. *Always verify details as events are continuously updated.

This communication is an important announcement for those with clientele and business in the following states, commonwealths, and/or districts: Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri and Texas.

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).

IMPORTANT: DST SEPs can only be used if the beneficiary is eligible for another election period at the time of the DST eligibility period and has not already made an election during that other valid election period due to the disaster or other emergency.

Please review the DST-SEP guidelines at the bottom of this email to ensure you stay compliant and refer to HealthSpring’s Ongoing SEP tracker in Producers’ University (login required) for the most up-to-date information.

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

Arkansas

Declaration information1 (Renewal)

State declaration: Severe Winter Weather

SEP incident dates: 01/23/2026 – 06/10/2026

This SEP declaration is effective: 01/23/2025 – 07/31/2026

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Howard, Nevada, Ouachita, Pike, and Saline Counties.

Florida

Declaration information1 (Renewal)

State declaration: May North Florida Tornadoes (Executive Order Number 25-256)

SEP incident dates: 05/10/2026 – 07/23/2026

This SEP declaration is effective: 05/10/2026 – 08/31/2026

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

Declaration information1 (New)

FEMA declaration: Railroad Complex

SEP incident dates: 04/19/2026 – 04/22/2027

This SEP declaration is effective: 04/19/2026 – 06/30/2027

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Putnam and Clay Counties.

Declaration information1 (New)

FEMA declaration: Cow Creek Fire

SEP incident dates: 04/21/2026 – 04/23/2027

This SEP declaration is effective: 04/21/2026 – 06/30/2027

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Levy County.

Georgia

Declaration information1 (New)

FEMA declaration: Pineland Road Fire

SEP incident dates: 04/18/2026 – 04/18/2027

This SEP declaration is effective: 04/18/2026 – 06/30/2027

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Clinch and Echols Counties.

Declaration information1 (New)

FEMA declaration: Highway 82 Fire

SEP incident dates: 04/21/2026 – 04/21/2027

This SEP declaration is effective: 04/21/2026 – 06/30/2027

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Brantly County.

Michigan

Declaration information1 (New/Amended)

Declaration information1

Declaration information1

State declaration: Prolonged Rainfall, Straight-line Winds and Flooding

SEP incident dates: 04/12/2026 – 06/16/2026

This SEP declaration is effective: 04/12/2026 – 07/31/2026

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Alcona, Allegan, Alpena, Ann Arbor, Antrim, Arenac, Barry, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Clare, Crawford, Eaton, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Gratiot, Iosco, Iron, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kalkaska, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Marquette, Menominee, Mecosta, Missaukee, Montcalm, Montmorency, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Ogemaw, Osceola, Oscoda, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Saginaw, Shiawassee, and Wexford Counties.

Missouri

Declaration information1 (New)

State declaration: Severe Storm Systems

SEP incident dates: 04/15/2025 – 06/15/2026

This SEP declaration is effective: 04/15/2025 – 07/31/2026

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: All Counties.

Texas

Declaration information1 (Renewal)

State declaration: Drought

SEP incident dates: 07/08/2022 – 06/14/2026

This SEP declaration is effective: 07/08/2022 – 07/31/2026

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Anderson, Andrews, Angelina, Aransas, Atascosa, Austin, Bandera, Bastrop, Baylor, Bee, Bell, Bexar, Blanco, Borden, Bowie, Brazoria, Brazos, Brewster, Briscoe, Brooks, Burleson, Burnet, Caldwell, Calhoun, Cameron, Camp, Cass, Chambers, Cherokee, Childress, Clay, Collingsworth, Colorado, Comal, Comanche, Cottle, Crosby, Dawson, Delta, DeWitt, Dickens, Dimmit, Donley, Duval, Fayette, Floyd, Foard, Fort Bend, Franklin, Freestone, Frio, Gaines, Galveston, Garza, Gillespie, Goliad, Gonzales, Grayson, Gregg, Grimes, Guadalupe, Hale, Hall, Hardeman, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Hays, Henderson, Hidalgo, Hockley, Hopkins, Houston, Howard, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kendall, Kenedy, Kent, Kerr, King, Kinney, Kleberg, Knox, La Salle, Lamar, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Limestone, Live Oak, Llano, Lubbock, Lynn, Madison, Marion, Martin, Matagorda, Maverick, McMullen, Medina, Midland, Milam, Montgomery, Morris, Motley, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Panola, Pecos, Polk, Presidio, Rains, Real, Red River, Refugio, Robertson, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Scurry, Shelby, Smith, Starr, Stonewall, Terrell, Titus, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Uvalde, Val Verde, Van Zandt, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Washington, Webb, Wharton, Wichita, Wilbarger, Willacy, Williamson, Wilson, Wood, Zapata, and Zavala Counties.

Declaration information1 (Renewal)

State declaration: Hill County Heavy Rainfall and Flooding

SEP incident dates: 07/02/2022 – 06/14/2026

This SEP declaration is effective: 07/02/2022 – 07/31/2026

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Bandera, Bexar, Burnet, Caldwell, Coke, Comal, Concho, Edwards, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Hamilton, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Lampasas, Llano, Mason, Maverick, McCulloch, Menard, Real, Reeves, San Saba, Schleicher, Sutton, Tom Green, Travis, Uvalde, and Williamson Counties.

Important notices

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 HealthSpring’s Ongoing SEP tracker in Producers’ University (login required) 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 that a DST SEP:

  • does not mean that active marketing can occur.
  • 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.
  • can only be used if 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.
  • does not mean that HealthSpring initiated waiving of authorization or referral requirements.
  • 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 link1 to refer to the guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on DST-SEPs.