When Is Open Enrollment for 2022?

The 2022 Open Enrollment Period begins November 1st, 2021, and extends to January 15th, 2022; however, the timeframe is different in certain states.

There’s also a Special Enrollment Period in case you don’t find a health plan on the federal marketplace during that time or if you experience a qualifying life event after January 15th, 2022 but prior to the next Open Enrollment Period later in the year.

Nevertheless, the following states will adhere to the standard 2022 Open Enrollment Period since they don’t operate state-level health insurance marketplaces:

● Alabama
● Alaska
● Arizona
● Arkansas
● Delaware
● Florida
● Georgia
● Hawaii
● Illinois
● Indiana
● Iowa
● Kansas
● Kentucky
● Louisiana
● Maine
● Michigan
● Missouri
● Montana
● Nebraska
● New Hampshire
● New Mexico
● North Carolina
● North Dakota
● Ohio
● Oklahoma
● Oregon
● South Carolina
● South Dakota
● Tennessee
● Texas
● Utah
● Virginia
● West Virginia
● Wisconsin
● Wyoming

The states listed above are where the Open Enrollment Period spans from November 1st, 2021, to January 15th, 2022, yet in the states listed below, the sign-up period varies.

Some have shorter periods than others, so if you’re looking for information about your state, the following chart displays all of the most important dates for Open Enrollment and Special Enrollment.

Open Enrollment and Special Enrollment dates by state

Washington DC also has its own Open Enrollment Periods and Special Enrollment Periods. If you live in Washington DC, the Open Enrollment Period extends from November 1st, 2021, to January 31st, 2022. The Special Enrollment Period goes from November 30th, 2021, to December 31st, 2021.

What are the qualifications for the Special Enrollment Periods?

To qualify for the Special Enrollment Period anywhere in the United States, you have to experience one of the following life-changing events within the past 60 days:

• Losing your health insurance
• Moving to a different state
• Marriage
• Adoption
• Death in the family

In other words, any situation that causes a change in the composition of your household, where you choose to live, or whether or not you still have health insurance affects your eligibility for the Special Enrollment Period.

It’s possible to qualify for Special Enrollment if you experience other uncommon scenarios, so if you have any questions, feel free to contact the federal marketplace at healthcare.gov for more information.

Either way, you must enroll within a 60-day window to qualify. Generally, you have 60 days to register from the time you lose your health insurance or experience a life event, or if you know that you are going to lose your health insurance in the next 60 days (e.g., being laid off from your job).

But if you happen to miss both enrollment periods, you may be able to qualify for short-term health insurance as a stopgap until the next time you can sign up for coverage, which is why it’s better to sign-up during the designated times.

At HealthPlans.com, we make it easy to compare quotes on health insurance plans offered through the federal marketplace or coverage via your state’s health insurance exchange.