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Lost Your Job? Your Health Insurance Options
Losing job-based coverage -- whether you were laid off, your hours were cut, or you're between jobs -- opens a real enrollment window. Here's what that means and how to use it.
Losing your job-based health coverage is a qualifying life event that opens a Special Enrollment Period on the ACA Marketplace -- you don't have to wait for the annual Open Enrollment window. You generally have 60 days before or after your coverage ends to enroll.
Your two real options
You can generally continue your exact employer plan through COBRA (usually at the full premium plus an administrative fee), or enroll in an ACA Marketplace plan, which may include a premium tax credit depending on your income.
- COBRA: same plan and network, but you pay the full cost
- Marketplace: potentially lower cost with a subsidy, especially if your income during unemployment is lower than before
Your enrollment window is real, and it's ticking
You can enroll in a Marketplace plan starting up to 60 days before your coverage ends, or within 60 days after. Missing this window can mean waiting for the next Open Enrollment Period.
Lower income during unemployment can open other paths too
If your household income during this transition is low enough, you or family members may qualify for Medicaid, which can generally be applied for at any time -- not limited to an enrollment window the way Marketplace plans are. Worth checking regardless of which path you expect to end up on.
Your next step
Answer two plain-language questions to see your real Special Enrollment Period window.
Also worth a look:
Common questions
How long do I have to enroll after losing job-based coverage?
Generally 60 days before your coverage ends, or 60 days after -- a 120-day total window. The exact dates depend on your situation, which the Can I Get Coverage Now tool can check.
Is COBRA or a Marketplace plan better?
It depends on your COBRA quote and your income while between jobs. Many people find Marketplace coverage costs less once a premium tax credit is applied -- the COBRA vs. Marketplace comparison tool gives you a real number to compare.
Is short-term health insurance worth considering instead?
It can be, for some people, for a short gap -- though it works very differently from COBRA or a Marketplace plan, including medical underwriting and pre-existing condition exclusions worth understanding first.
Questions are easier by phone.
Call 855-367-1095 to talk through your situation with licensed insurance help.
- Licensed insurance help
- No guaranteed eligibility, pricing, or availability
- Educational starting point
Information on this site is educational and does not guarantee eligibility, enrollment, pricing, or availability. It is not a recommendation to buy any specific plan or policy.