When you lose your job, you typically have 60 days to elect COBRA continuation coverage or enroll in an ACA marketplace plan under the Special Enrollment Period. The cheaper option depends on your household income and family size.
COBRA lets you keep your employer's health plan for up to 18 months, but you pay 100% of the premium plus a 2% administrative fee. For a typical family plan costing your employer $2,100/month, COBRA runs $2,142/month. No subsidies are available.
If your household income drops after job loss, marketplace subsidies can reduce your premium significantly. Under the current enhanced premium tax credits, a family of four earning under $60,000 can often find silver plans for under $300/month — sometimes $0 after cost-sharing reductions.
Pick COBRA if you are mid-treatment and need to keep your exact doctors and deductible, or your income disqualifies you from marketplace subsidies. Pick Marketplace if you need the lowest premium, your income has dropped, or you are willing to switch providers.
Medigami's free Coverage Transition tool compares COBRA against marketplace subsidies using your actual income and household size, projects total out-of-pocket for the rest of the year, and flags whether mid-year provider switches would break an ongoing treatment plan.
Educational information only. Not legal, medical, or insurance advice. Statutes, deadlines, and eligibility thresholds vary by plan type and state — consult a licensed attorney, state-certified insurance counselor, or nonprofit patient advocate about your specific situation.
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