COBRA continues your exact employer plan after a qualifying event - up to 18 months for job loss or reduced hours, 36 months for events like divorce or death of the employee - but you pay the full premium (your share plus the employer's) plus 2 percent, per the Department of Labor.
The protective mechanics: 60 days from coverage loss or your election notice (whichever is later) to elect, coverage retroactive to the day it ended, and 45 days after electing to make the first payment - so you can wait and elect only if a medical need arises. It covers private employers with 20 or more workers; smaller firms usually fall under state mini-COBRA laws. Always price a subsidized Marketplace plan before electing. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, and can help you compare.
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Common questions
What is COBRA insurance?
COBRA is the federal law that lets you continue your employer's group health plan after a qualifying event - most commonly losing your job or having your hours cut. The Department of Labor's terms: continuation lasts up to 18 months for job loss or reduced hours, and up to 36 months for other events (divorce, death of the employee, loss of dependent status). The catch is price: you usually pay the full premium - both the share you paid as an employee and the share your employer contributed - plus 2 percent, which is why the first COBRA bill shocks people who only ever saw their payroll deduction. The mechanics protect you: you have 60 days from coverage loss or your election notice (whichever is later) to elect COBRA, coverage is retroactive to the day you lost it, and after electing you have 45 days to make the first payment - so you can wait, see if a medical need arises, and elect only if it does. It applies to private employers with 20 or more workers; smaller firms are usually covered by state mini-COBRA laws. Always price a Marketplace plan before electing - subsidies frequently make it far cheaper. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, that can help you compare.