The open enrollment period has ended, but it’s not too late to sign up for Obamacare coverage in 2021—or at least, not if you live in one of 12 states or Washington, DC. While the regular enrollment period for Affordable Care Act coverage most states expired on Dec. 15, the deadline has been extended for some state-based exchanges. If you’re in one of them listed below, you can still qualify for low-cost coverage.
Extended deadlines
Several states have separate, state-run health insurance marketplaces rather than the federally run marketplace HealthCare.gov, and they have the power to extend enrollment, whether permanently (as California, Colorado, and DC have done) or as an accommodation relating to COVID (some states even reopened enrollment last spring when the pandemic hit the U.S.).
The states with extended deadlines are listed below. (Note that some states have effective coverage dates that vary based on when you sign up within the enrollment period, so those dates are listed as well).
California: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2021
enroll by Dec. 30 for coverage starting Jan. 1
enroll between Dec. 16 - Jan. 15 for coverage starting Feb. 1
enroll between Jan. 16 - 31 for coverage starting March 1
Colorado: Enroll by Jan. 15, 2021 for coverage starting Feb. 1
Connecticut: Enroll by Jan. 15, 2021 for coverage starting Feb. 1
Idaho: Enroll by Dec. 31, 2020 for coverage starting Jan. 1
Massachusetts: Enroll by Jan. 23, 2021
enroll by Dec. 23 for coverage starting Jan. 1
enroll between Dec. 24 - Jan. 23 for coverage starting Feb. 1
Minnesota: Enroll by Dec. 22, 2020, for coverage starting Jan. 1
Nevada: Enroll by Jan. 15, 2021
enroll by Dec. 31 for coverage starting Jan. 1
enroll between Jan. 1 - 15 for coverage starting Feb. 1
New Jersey: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2021
enroll by Dec. 31 for coverage starting Jan. 1
enroll between Jan. 1 - Jan. 31 for coverage starting Feb. 1
New York: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2021
enroll by Dec. 31 for coverage starting Jan. 1
enroll by Jan. 15 for coverage starting Feb. 1
enroll between Jan. 16 - 31 for coverage starting March 1
Pennsylvania: Enroll by Jan. 15, 2021
enroll by Dec. 22 for coverage starting Jan. 1
enroll by Jan. 15 for coverage starting Feb. 1
Rhode Island: Enroll by Jan. 23, 2021
enroll by Dec. 31 for coverage starting Jan. 1
enroll between Jan. 1 - 23 for coverage starting Feb. 1
Washington: Enroll by Jan. 15, 2021, for coverage starting Feb. 1
Washington, D.C.: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2021
enroll by Jan. 15 for coverage starting Feb. 1
enroll between Jan. 16 - 31 for coverage starting March 1
(Native Americans, as well as applicants who are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, are eligible to enroll year-round).