Health insurance between jobs usually comes from one of four places: COBRA, a Marketplace plan, a spouse's job plan or Medicaid. Losing job coverage gives you 60 days to pick a Marketplace plan, and you can apply up to 60 days early. COBRA keeps your old plan but at full price. In approved states, short-term plans can bridge a short gap, with real limits.
- Losing job-based coverage opens a 60-day Marketplace window, and you can pick a plan up to 60 days before your coverage ends.
- You get at least 60 days to elect COBRA, which usually lasts 18 months at up to 102% of the plan's full cost.
- Your Marketplace tax credit uses expected income for the whole year, and unemployment pay counts as income.
- A new employer can make you wait up to 90 days before its health plan starts.
- Short-term plans are sold only in approved states, aren't ACA-compliant and can exclude pre-existing conditions.
First steps for health insurance between jobs
When a job ends, the clock starts fast. So before your last day, get a few answers from HR. Those answers decide which path costs less and when you must act.
- The exact date your health coverage ends
- When your COBRA election notice will arrive
- The full monthly COBRA price for each person on the plan
- Whether severance includes any help with premiums
- How much you've paid toward this year's deductible
Many plans end coverage at the end of the month, but rules vary. Also save every letter that shows your end date, because the Marketplace may ask for proof. Our pillar guide on how the yearly enrollment season works explains why a lost job plan lets you enroll outside the usual dates. Your next step: email HR these five questions today.
Your options for health insurance between jobs
Most people have more than one choice. However, each one fits a different gap length, health picture and budget. This table sorts them out.
| Option | Best fit | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| COBRA | Mid-treatment, or the deductible is mostly met | You pay the full cost plus up to 2% |
| Marketplace plan | Most job changers, especially when income drops | Deductible and network usually start fresh |
| Spouse's job plan | Couples where one spouse still works | Only 30 days to join |
| Medicaid or CHIP | Low monthly income right now | Rules vary by state |
| Short-term plan | Healthy people with a known start date | Not ACA-compliant, so pre-existing conditions may be excluded |
Also, when you're ready to price your own plan, compare ACA and private health plans for your ZIP code. Your next step: cross off any row that doesn't fit, then compare the rest.
Deadlines for coverage between jobs
Coverage between jobs is mostly a timing problem. Several clocks start around your last day, and they don't all run the same length.
- Up to 60 days before your last day
Pick a Marketplace plan early. Then it can start the first of the month after your job coverage ends.
- Within 30 days of losing coverage
Ask to join a spouse's job plan, if one is available.
- COBRA notice plus 60 days
Elect COBRA, if you want it. After that, you get 45 days to pay the first premium.
- Day 60 after coverage ends
This is your last chance to pick a Marketplace plan without waiting for fall.
Miss these windows, and you'll likely wait until Open Enrollment starts on November 1. Your next step: put each date on your calendar now.
COBRA or a Marketplace plan?
This is the biggest choice for health insurance after job loss. COBRA keeps your exact plan, doctors and deductible progress. A Marketplace plan, on the other hand, often costs less if your income qualifies for a tax credit.
- Same network and drug list
- Deductible progress carries over
- Usually lasts 18 months
- No tax credit while you're on it
- Price depends on yearly income
- Covers pre-existing conditions
- Network may change
- Deductible usually starts over
Real math on the monthly cost
Using KFF's 2025 averages, single COBRA coverage costs about $793 a month at 102%. Meanwhile, a single person expecting $30,000 of income for 2027 pays no more than about $155 a month for the benchmark silver plan. At $48,000, the cap is about $409 a month. Remember, unemployment pay counts toward that yearly income.
For the full side-by-side, read our COBRA and ACA cost comparison. Also see how Marketplace tax credits work. Your next step: get your real COBRA price, then compare it with a Marketplace quote.
A licensed Vivna agent can price COBRA against plans from 50+ carriers and map your deadlines, at no cost to you.
Waiting on a new job's health plan
A new job doesn't always mean coverage on day one, so plan your health insurance between jobs around the start date. Under federal rules, an employer plan's waiting period can't exceed 90 days. So ask your new employer three questions before you choose a bridge.
- What date does my health coverage start?
- What will my share of the premium be?
- Are my doctors in the new plan's network?
If the gap is short, COBRA can make sense, since you keep your doctors. Plus, depending on plan rules, COBRA can reach back to your loss date if you elect it within 60 days. If the gap is longer, though, a Marketplace plan often costs less. And once the job plan starts, end your bridge coverage that same month.
Don't cancel any bridge plan until your new job plan is active and you have the ID card. On the phones, we see gaps happen when a start date slips by two weeks. A short overlap costs far less than a surprise ER bill with no coverage.
Short-term plans as coverage between jobs
Some healthy people with a known job start date look at short-term coverage. In approved states, it can cost less than other options for a brief gap. Even so, it's a different product from an ACA plan, so know the limits first. Compare COBRA vs. short-term health insurance and see how long short-term coverage can last.
- Not ACA-compliant, so essential benefits aren't required
- Can exclude pre-existing conditions (how this works)
- No premium tax credits
- Medical questions can lead to a denial
Short-term plans are available only in approved states, and plan lengths depend on state and federal rules. They are not ACA-compliant, they can exclude pre-existing conditions, and they don't qualify for subsidies. Use one only as a bridge to real coverage.
Where they're sold, compare short-term plans in approved states. You can also read our UnitedHealthcare short-term plan answers. Your next step: read the exclusions page before you apply.
Spouse plans, Medicaid and state rules
For many couples, a spouse's plan is the simplest health insurance between jobs. Losing your own coverage lets you join it, but you usually get only 30 days to ask. So call your spouse's HR the same week your job ends.
Medicaid and CHIP accept applications all year. They look at current monthly income, so a sudden job loss can make you eligible right away. However, Medicaid work rules for many expansion adults begin by January 1, 2027. Those rules require 80 hours a month of work or other activities, with some exemptions.
Small employers and state continuation
Federal COBRA covers employers with 20 or more workers. Smaller employers may fall under a state "mini-COBRA" law instead. In Florida, for example, that coverage can last up to 18 months at up to 115% of the premium. Floridians can compare options on our Florida health insurance page.
Choosing coverage between jobs
Match the bridge to your gap, your health and your income. These cards cover the cases we see most.
COBRA can bridge it, since you may elect it late and keep your doctors.
A Marketplace plan often costs less, especially when income drops.
Price the spouse's plan first, and ask within 30 days.
Read our guide to self-employed coverage before you estimate income.
Going out on your own? See how to buy coverage when you work for yourself. Changed your mind later? Our guide on life events that open an enrollment window explains when you can switch.
Pick your next plan before your last day, not after.The rule our licensed agents repeat most to job changers
Need help fast? Call a licensed Vivna agent at 888-730-6001.
Health insurance between jobs: FAQs
How do I get health insurance between jobs?
Start with the date your job coverage ends. Then compare COBRA, a Marketplace plan, a spouse's job plan and Medicaid. Losing job coverage gives you 60 days to pick a Marketplace plan, and you can apply up to 60 days early. So pick before your last day when you can, and you'll avoid a gap.
Can I get a Marketplace plan right after I lose my job?
Yes. Losing job-based coverage opens a Special Enrollment Period. You can pick a plan up to 60 days before or 60 days after your coverage ends. If you pick before the loss, coverage can start the first of the next month. You may need to send a letter that shows your end date.
Is COBRA worth it between jobs?
Sometimes. COBRA can make sense if you're mid-treatment, already met most of your deductible, or have a very short gap. Still, it usually costs more, because you pay the full premium plus up to 2%. If your income will drop this year, a Marketplace plan with a tax credit often costs less.
How long can a new employer make me wait for coverage?
Up to 90 days. Federal rules cap the waiting period for employer health plans at 90 calendar days, including weekends and holidays. Some employers start coverage sooner, so ask for the exact date. Then choose a bridge plan that covers every day until the new plan begins.
Does unemployment pay affect my Marketplace tax credit?
Yes. HealthCare.gov counts unemployment compensation as income. So when you estimate your yearly income, include wages already earned, unemployment pay and any expected new job. Since there's no cap on paying back extra credit, update your estimate as soon as you start a new job.
Have more questions? Browse our enrollment and ICHRA answers library.
Vivna's licensed agents compare plans from 50+ carriers. Call Monday through Friday, 9am to 6pm.
Sources
- HealthCare.gov: Special enrollment opportunities
- U.S. Department of Labor: A Worker's Guide to Health Benefits Under COBRA
- eCFR: 45 CFR 147.116, 90-day waiting period limit
- HealthCare.gov: What's included as income
- KFF: 2025 Employer Health Benefits Survey
- KFF: Health provisions in the 2025 federal budget reconciliation law
Vivna Insurance is a licensed, independent health insurance agency (NPN 19168641). We are not affiliated with HealthCare.gov or any government agency. Plan availability, networks and benefits vary by state and change over time. Short-term plans are available only in approved states and are not ACA-compliant coverage.
Related guides
Find Local Health Insurance Help
Plans, prices and help programs change by state and even by county. These local guides show what is available near you.
More local help: the Louisiana health insurance guide, plus guides for Florida, Texas, Georgia and every state we serve.
Prefer to talk it through? Call 888-730-6001 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern, for free help from a licensed agent.