Covered CA Open-Enrollment Deadline Extended to December 30 for January 1 Coverage.

  • For the first time, Covered California will extend the first major open-enrollment deadline of Dec. 15 to give consumers through Dec. 30 to sign up for coverage that begins on Jan. 1, to help ensure that Californians get the care they need in the face of the increasing health crisis.

  • Open enrollment will continue through Jan 31.  However, enrollments completed between Dec 31 and Jan 15 will have insurance coverage begin on Feb 1. Enrollments completed between Jan 16 and Jan 31 will have insurance coverage begin on March 1.

  • The unprecedented extension comes as COVID-19 infections and deaths are surging across California and the country.

  • More than 1.2 million Californians are uninsured right now, even though they are eligible for financial help from Covered California, or low-cost or no-cost coverage through Medi-Cal.

Covered California announced on Friday that for the first time in its history, it would give consumers until Dec. 30 to sign up for health care coverage that begins on Jan. 1, 2021. The unprecedented move comes as COVID-19 infections and deaths surge throughout the state.


“The pandemic continues to have a devastating impact on all of our lives, and Covered
California wants to give those who need health insurance as much time as possible to
sign up and get coverage that starts on Jan. 1,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of
Covered California. “We know there are more than 1.2 million Californians who are
uninsured right now, even though they are eligible to receive financial assistance to help
to pay for their coverage, and giving them more time is the right thing to do.”


Consumers who sign up by Dec. 30 will need to pay their first bill in order to have their coverage take effect on Jan. 1. Covered California also wants to note that consumers will continue to see and hear television, radio and print ads that communicate a Dec. 15 deadline over the next few days, and they should ignore that deadline given this announcement of an extension.


“Most of the people who are uninsured either do not know they are eligible for financial
assistance, or they have not checked recently to see how affordable quality coverage
can be,” Lee said. “No one should wait to sign up, and we are extending the deadline
through Dec. 30 to give all of us more time to spread the word and make sure our family
and friends have health insurance during this pandemic.”

Getting Help Enrolling

Consumers interested in learning more about their coverage options can:

• Visit www.CoveredCA.com.

• Get free and confidential in-person assistance, in a variety of languages, from a certified enroller.

• Have a certified enroller call them and help them for free.

• Call Covered California at (800) 300-1506.

Jim Jarvenpaa