Texans Must Sign Up at HealthCare.Gov by Dec. 15 for Insurance that Begins on Jan. 1

If you or your family need health insurance for 2022, you can sign up on HealthCare.Gov from November 1, 2021 to January 15, 2022. In order to have coverage that begins on January 1st, you must enroll by December 15th. 

Uninsured Texans who want coverage as soon as possible should sign up by December 15. Coverage for people who sign up later, from December 16 – January 15, will not take effect until February 1, 2022. Texans with insurance that ends on December 31 should also act by December 15 to avoid any gaps in coverage. 

Open Enrollment is going strong in Texas. Nearly 750,000 Texans signed up in the first four weeks after HealthCare.Gov opened on November 1. Texas has seen record enrollment at HealthCare.Gov over the course of 2021.There are many more plan options for 2022 in the Texas Marketplace. Plans from five new health insurers are available this year. 

HealthCare.Gov coverage is more affordable than ever before. Congress’ American Rescue Plan boosted financial help, which made enrolling in HealthCare.Gov coverage much cheaper. Even if you were priced out in the past, you should look again. Plans are now more affordable, and financial help is now available to more people than in the past. For example: 

  • 4 out of 5 consumers can find a plan for $10/month or less; 
  • Millions of people now qualify for $0/month plans with a low or no deductible; and 
  • 9 in 10 Texans who’ve signed up got reduced-price plans.  

Insurance plans on HealthCare.Gov must include key benefits like mental health care, maternity care, prescription drug coverage, hospitalization services, and coverage for pre-existing conditions. Plans outside HealthCare.Gov do not have to offer the same protections or financial help.

Even if you just enrolled in mid-2021 when the Marketplace reopened for 6 months, you need to shop again now for a 2022 plan. Consumers who compare their options during Open Enrollment can save more money. It pays to shop each year. 

Community organizations are standing by to offer free, expert help with the sign-up process across Texas: 

  • HealthCare.Gov has a tool to Find Local Help from certified enrollment assisters at local community-based organizations who can help you sign up for coverage through HealthCare.Gov, Medicaid, and CHIP. (To filter search results for community-based groups, click on the “Agent or Broker” box under “Filter,” so that only the “Assisters” box is showing). 
  • CuidadoDeSalud.gov is the HealthCare.Gov website in Spanish, and it features the tool to find local help in Spanish. 
  • The Get Covered Connector lets you search for enrollment assistance locations statewide by zip code. Bonus: in the Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and Corpus Christi areas, you can also book an appointment for assistance.

Enrollment assistance organizations serving major metro areas include:

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