Best way to go about this

I am going to try to keep this brief:

I am a state employee. For five years I worked for the state hospital system and was covered by the state health plan. Our open enrollment period was in November. I re-enrolled.

In early December I was offered a job with the state university. I started the job in mid January. I was able to keep my state health plan coverage but since my state agency had changed, my policy would, too.

On the very day I started my new job, I contacted HR to get the ball rolling on my new benefits. I was told a few days later that my retirement plan had changed (I changed it), my “flex” benefits (vision, dental, etc) had transfered but my health insurance would not. I’d have to call to enroll.

And then I didn’t call. I tried to enroll online but couldn’t. Tbf the job was massively stressful since three days in, I learned that the head of my team was leaving and all my training would have to be squeezed into a two week period. Awesome. I work in healthcare and there was also all this drama around opening as a site in a clinical trial. “Do YOU want to be the reason this AIDS patient doesn’t get his medication and he DIES?!” I was also enrolled part time in a masters degree program AND moving to a new address. Everything was stressful–packing, hauling, giving stuff away, cleaning the new house, unpacking reading, work. Ugh. Not how I wanted to start my new job.

Two months after starting the job I learned why my prescriptions weren’t covered–I’d lost my health insurance, missed the 30 day window.

I asked for an exception to the 30 day window and was denied. I found out this morning.

I can see a couple of ways to get around this, and I wanted your thoughts.

First, the move. I started my new job Jan 17. I lost my coverage Jan 30. I moved Feb 20 and today is Mar 20. Is a move considered a qualifying life event that I can get a SEP for? Unfortunately it’s not to a new zip code though it may be to a new county.

Second, COVID and Outbreak period. I saw this referenced on another thread. Does thst mean I can get a SEP?

I’m not trying to add anyone or anything. NO change in coverage. I just want what I had.

Yes, I KNOW I was stupid in missing the deadline for enrollment and I’ve honestly never done anything like that–I pay my bills ontime, I register my car ontime, I re-up my car insurance on time. I think it was the combination of the stress and the unfamiliarity with the new benefits system that did it.

Boy am I kicking myself now but I would love to know how to attack this.