If I am currently uninsured (working part time without benefits and did not secure ACA health insurance during open enrollment) and I need to have surgery before open enrollment next year, can I quit my part time job to join another with benefits to gain health insurance? Do I need to wait til 2023?

As above. Have been working a part time job, and have been uninsured. Recently had a trip to the emergency room and had to stay for multiple nights, and will have to go back to get surgery soon (timeframe as of now is uncertain). I do not qualify for a special enrollment period for the ACA healthcare, and the hospital which I have gone and will most likely go to for surgery has charity care, but I do not meet the income criteria to be eligible.

I have learned that to get my operation that I was told I need at this specific hospital, I will need health insurance, as the doctors conducting the operation are private practice and will not operate on me while I am uninsured.

Thus, I need to find a way to have health insurance by the time I have my surgery. I am not 65 and thus do not qualify for medicare or medicaid, nor my state’s (Wisconsin) healthcare (Badgercare) as our household income is just above the bracket. I have not had a loss of employment or other change of life as outlined in the healthcare.gov criteria for a qualifying life event. I am assuming that if I went the (dangerous) path of opting for short term, non ACA health insurance, they would either outright deny me or not cover my planned surgical operation as with my ER room visit last week I am assuming it would be a pre existing condition.

Given that I have explored all the options I know of right now, would it be possible for me to quit my current job that I am currently unable to work at and apply for a full or part time job (would most likely need to be remote so I can work it while I recover from ER visit) that has health benefits? I know most jobs have a certain required number of hours worked before qualifying for benefits, but if I put in enough 8 hour remote days I might be able to meet those criteria before my big surgery. If I can find a job and do this, would I be able to enroll in ACA healthcare this year? Or would I need to wait still until the next open enrollment period to get job related healthcare?

I know the post is long, but I do feel like I have expended all the options I know about to be able to get health insurance to have the surgery done. If anyone has any other suggestions, please let me know. I am incredibly grateful for any advice.

(tldr: If I’m uninsured, can I join a job with healthcare benefits to get ACA healthcare in the next few weeks?)