What to Do When You Lose Health Coverage

Losing coverage starts a clock. You generally have 60 days to act, and the choices you make in that window decide what you pay, whether your doctors carry over, and whether you have a gap in coverage at all.
Here is what to do, in order.

Reviewed and updated 1 August 2026 against current federal guidance.

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If you know the date in advance, act before it arrives

You do not have to wait until coverage actually ends. You can apply for a Marketplace plan up to 60 days before your job-based coverage stops, so the new plan begins the day the old one ends. Most people wait, then spend weeks uninsured for no reason. If you already have a termination date, that window is open now.

Six Steps

  1. Write down the date your coverage actually ends. It is often the last day of the month, not your last day of work. Every deadline that follows is measured from that date, so confirm it with HR rather than assuming.
  2. Find out what you would pay for each option. Your COBRA election notice states the real premium. A Marketplace plan is priced on your income and household size, and your income may have just changed. These are the two numbers to put beside each other.
  3. Check whether your doctors and prescriptions carry over. COBRA keeps both exactly as they are. A new plan means a new network and a new drug list, so look up anyone you see regularly before you decide.
  4. Ask whether a spouse or parent can add you. Losing your own coverage usually lets you join a family member’s employer plan, but that window is shorter than the Marketplace one, often just 30 days.
  5. Check Medicaid and CHIP. If your income dropped, your household may qualify. There is no enrollment window for these programs; you can apply at any time of year.
  6. Decide before the 60 days run out, and pay the first premium. No plan starts until that first payment is made, whichever route you take.

Your Options Side by Side

OptionWindow to actWorth knowing
COBRA continuation60 days from the later of coverage ending or your election noticeSame plan, same doctors, same deductible progress. You pay the full premium plus up to a 2 percent fee
ACA Marketplace plan60 days before or 60 days after coverage endsPriced on income and household size. A drop in income can lower the cost substantially
A spouse or parent’s employer planAs little as 30 daysOften the cheapest route if it is available. The shortest deadline of the group, so ask early
Medicaid or CHIPAny timeNo enrollment window at all. Worth checking whenever household income falls
Private individual planNo fixed windowBought directly from a carrier. Useful when Marketplace subsidies do not apply to you
We are licensed to write Marketplace, private, and supplemental plans, so a licensed agent can price and enroll you in any of these directly.

The Deadlines That Matter

DeadlineHow longMeasured from
Join a family member’s employer planAbout 30 daysThe date your coverage ends
Elect COBRA60 daysThe later of coverage ending or your election notice arriving
Enroll in a Marketplace plan60 daysThe date coverage ends, and you may enroll in the 60 days beforehand
Make your first COBRA payment45 daysThe date you elect COBRA
Send documents proving your coverage lossAbout 30 daysThe date you pick a Marketplace plan

Mistakes That Cost People Money

• Electing COBRA before comparing. Dropping it voluntarily later does not reopen the Marketplace window. Letting it run out completely does.
• Waiting for the election notice to arrive before doing anything. The Marketplace window may already be open, and waiting can waste half of it.
• Assuming coverage ends on the last day of work. Many plans run to the end of that month, which moves every deadline.
• Forgetting the deductible you already paid. Staying on COBRA keeps that progress. A new plan resets it to zero, which matters most late in the plan year.
• Missing the shorter family-plan deadline. A spouse’s employer plan can close in about 30 days, well before the other windows.
• Letting the 60 days lapse. After that, you generally wait for Open Enrollment unless another qualifying event occurs.

What to Have Ready

Having these to hand makes the conversation quick, whichever option you choose.
• The date your coverage ends, confirmed with HR
• Your COBRA election notice, once it arrives
• An estimate of this year’s household income
• Names and dates of birth for everyone who needs coverage
• A list of the doctors you want to keep
• A list of prescriptions and dosages
• Proof that your prior coverage ended, such as a termination letter

Read Next

Compare COBRA and Marketplace side by side →
How COBRA works, in full →
Which life events open which doors →

Sources

The information on this page is drawn from the following federal sources. Your own plan documents govern your specific situation.

Work through it with someone

A licensed agent can confirm your dates, price every option you qualify for, check that your doctors are covered, and enroll you. No cost, no obligation.
Get My Options
This page is general information, not advice about your specific situation. Plan availability, pricing, and eligibility vary by location, household size, and income. A licensed agent can review your circumstances with you.

Prefer to talk? Call (888) 918-4516 · Monday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern

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