Open enrollment for the 2021 plan year begins this Sunday, November 1, so be sure to enroll in a health plan — COVID-19 doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. (It’s also time to change the clocks back, so don’t forget to do that either.) In most states from November 1 – December 15, you can shop for a new health insurance plan. States that run their own marketplaces may have different enrollment windows (as noted below).
You may be wondering if you should still shop for a plan when California v. Texas will be heard in front of the Supreme Court in a couple of weeks. The answer is yes; if you are uninsured, you should still shop for and enroll in a health plan. Should the Supreme Court strike down the Affordable Care Act (ACA), it would likely take years to unravel the law. The pandemic is not a good time to hedge your bets. Even if you have coverage, it pays to shop around to compare this year’s plans and prices. Several states have seen premium reductions due to reinsurance pools and other contributing factors.
It is important to note that even though some states have extended enrollment periods, the last day to apply for coverage with an effective date of January 1, 2021 is December 15, 2020. Stay healthy out there, you guys.
| State | 2021 Plan Year Enrollment Window |
| Alabama | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Alaska | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Arizona | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Arkansas | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| California | October 15, 2020 – January 31, 2021 |
| Colorado | November 1, 2020 – January 15, 2021 |
| Connecticut | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Delaware | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Florida | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Georgia | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Hawaii | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Idaho | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Illinois | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Indiana | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Iowa | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Kansas | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Kentucky | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Louisiana | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Maine | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Maryland | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Massachusetts | November 1, 2020 – January 23, 2021 |
| Michigan | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Minnesota | November 1, 2020 – December 22, 2020 |
| Mississippi | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Missouri | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Montana | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Nebraska | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Nevada | November 1, 2020 – January 15, 2021 |
| New Hampshire | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| New Jersey | November 1, 2020 – January 31, 2021 |
| New Mexico | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| New York | November 1, 2020 – January 31, 2021 |
| North Carolina | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| North Dakota | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Ohio | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Oklahoma | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Oregon | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Pennsylvania | November 1, 2020 – January 15, 2021 |
| Rhode Island | October 15, 2020 – December 31, 2021 |
| South Carolina | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| South Dakota | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Tennessee | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Texas | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Utah | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Vermont | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Virginia | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Washington | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Washington DC | November 1, 2020 – January 31, 2021 |
| West Virginia | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Wisconsin | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
| Wyoming | November 1, 2020 – December 15, 2020 |
