A little confused about what's going on with the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare? (Yes, they're the same thing!) Here are answers to common questions, including:

• What are the enrollment dates in my state? 
• Will I pay a penalty if I don't have health insurance?
• What do Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) plans cover?
• How much does health insurance cost?
• How do I sign up?

Here are some basics to keep in mind:

Open enrollment for 2022 health plans ended on January 15, 2022. 

You may still be able to get covered for the rest of 2022. If you’ve lost your job or significant income in the past 60 days, whether due to the COVID-19 pandemic or for any other reason, you might qualify for a special enrollment period (SEP). A SEP allows you to sign up for a new health insurance plan or change your current plan outside the open enrollment window. In addition to job or income loss, many other qualifying events may make you eligible for a SEP. Select your state from the list below to learn the rules. 

New premium subsidies are available under the American Rescue Plan Act. Last year, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act to provide billions of dollars of relief to Americans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among many other benefits, the law increases health insurance premium subsidies through the end of 2022.

You won’t face a federal tax penalty for going without health insurance in 2022—but there are many other downsides to being uninsured. If you don’t have health insurance coverage, you won’t have to pay a penalty when you file your federal taxes, though a handful of states have passed their own insurance requirements with penalties. No matter where you live, think carefully about whether it makes sense to forego insurance. A medical crisis could knock the financial wind from your sails and do more damage than the penalty would.

For local details, choose your state from the list on this page.

You may also be interested in:

• How To Sign Up for Obamacare in State

  Where to go in your state to get health plans under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and how to get help with the application process.

• Do I Have to Get Health Insurance in State?

  Learn whether you must have health coverage under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in your state.

• How Much Does Obamacare Cost in State?

  Learn the five factors that determine what residents of your state will pay for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act