You generally have 60 days to elect COBRA and to enroll in the Marketplace after losing job-based coverage.
How long COBRA can last, at full premium plus an admin fee.
You generally have 60 days to elect COBRA, and it can be retroactive to the day your coverage ended. That gives you time to compare it against the Marketplace before you pay anything. The one catch is that once you’re on COBRA, dropping it mid-year usually doesn’t open a new window.
Twenty minutes, real numbers. Tell me your COBRA premium quote, your severance and unemployment situation and your health needs. I’ll show you what the Marketplace or a bridge plan costs and which one wins.
COBRA. Same plan and doctors, up to 18 months, but you pay the full premium plus an admin fee. It’s often best if you’re mid-treatment or just met your deductible.
Marketplace (Pennie). A tax credit may drop the price a lot, especially with lower income while between jobs.
Short-term bridge. Up to four months in Pennsylvania while you wait for a new job’s coverage to start. Not a place to live.
New employer’s plan. If you have an offer, ask when coverage begins and plan for the gap.
Three things after a layoff. Don’t rush the COBRA form. Count all income when you estimate the tax credit. Cover any gap before the new job starts.
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Mid-treatment? If you’re partway through the year’s deductible, staying on COBRA can save real money.
Severance and unemployment. Both can count as income for your tax credit. We’ll estimate them.
Job starting soon? A short-term bridge may be cheaper than either.
1. Is there a maximum out-of-pocket? 2. Is it an unlimited contract? 3. Is it guaranteed renewable? If a plan uses words like “deductible” and “PPO network,” that doesn’t automatically make it actual health insurance. These three questions do.
Send me an age and a zip code and I’ll send back a general idea of what’s available in your area. Twenty minutes, no charge, no pressure. Happy to answer any and all questions so you can make the most informed decision for you, your family, or your business.
