COBRA
Covers all 2 months
- Effective premium
- $2,100
- Expected medical OOP
- $3,600
- Employer funds
- −$0
- Expected total
- $5,700
- Covered in-network worst case
- $7,900
Compare job-loss health coverage using exact premium quotes, deductible progress, Marketplace APTC, employer funding, expected costs, worst cases, and enrollment checkpoints.
Compare complete coverage options
Job-loss health coverage results
Planning estimate—not enrollment, tax, or coverage advice. The Marketplace subsidy is exactly what you enter. Verify every quote, deadline, network, drug list, and effective date with the controlling source.
Lowest modeled expected costRemaining current plan yearExample only
COBRA
Modeled expected total: $5,700 — $1,520 lower than Spouse plan. Modeled covered in-network worst case: $7,900 — $2,920 lower than Spouse plan.
Expected total
$5,700
Effective premium + modeled medical OOP − usable employer funding
Covered in-network worst case
$7,900
Premium + remaining entered OOP exposure; exclusions can cost more
Effective premium
$2,100
2 months modeled
Both-period view: Join a spouse's employer plan has the lowest complete expected estimate at $22,740 across the remaining plan year plus next full year. Options that expire mid-period are excluded.
Side-by-side cost breakdown
Spouse plan
Covers all 2 months
- Effective premium
- $1,320
- Expected medical OOP
- $6,400
- Employer funds
- −$500
- Expected total
- $7,220
- Covered in-network worst case
- $10,820
Marketplace
Covers all 2 months
- Effective premium
- $1,900
- Expected medical OOP
- $6,050
- Employer funds
- −$0
- Expected total
- $7,950
- Covered in-network worst case
- $11,400
| Option | Effective premium | Expected medical OOP | Employer funds | Expected total | Worst case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continue the former employer plan with COBRACovers all 2 months | $2,100 | $3,600 | −$0 | $5,700 | $7,900 |
| Join a spouse's employer planCovers all 2 months | $1,320 | $6,400 | −$500 | $7,220 | $10,820 |
| Enroll in an ACA Marketplace planCovers all 2 months | $1,900 | $6,050 | −$0 | $7,950 | $11,400 |
Deductible reset and break-even
Continuing the same employer plan through COBRA typically preserves the current plan-year accumulators entered here: $2,500 deductible progress and $3,200 out-of-pocket progress. New spouse-plan and Marketplace enrollment starts at zero in this model. Confirm how each actual plan credits prior spending.
COBRA vs Spouse plan
First modeled crossover near $3,100 of allowed care. Spouse plan costs less at low care; plan limits and cost sharing can change the ranking after that point.
COBRA vs Marketplace
First modeled crossover near $1,750 of allowed care. Marketplace costs less at low care; plan limits and cost sharing can change the ranking after that point.
Break-even values vary only the same household allowed-care estimate. They do not model copays, drug tiers, claim order, separate deductibles, or network differences.
Enrollment action timeline
Verify every date. These are general planning checkpoints, not calculated legal deadlines. Your notice, employer plan, Marketplace, and circumstances control.
Request the spouse-plan special enrollment
Planning checkpoint: Nov 5, 2026
Employer plans generally require a special-enrollment request within 30 days after losing other coverage.
Ask the benefits office for its actual deadline, required proof, effective date, and payroll cutoff.
Use the Marketplace loss-of-coverage window
Planning checkpoint: Dec 5, 2026
A loss-of-coverage Marketplace special-enrollment window generally runs from 60 days before through 60 days after the loss.
Confirm the application and plan-selection deadlines on HealthCare.gov or your state Marketplace.
Verify the COBRA election deadline
Pending: enter the COBRA election-notice date
The COBRA election period is generally at least 60 days from the later of the coverage-loss date or the date the election notice is provided.
Use the election notice—not this estimate—as the controlling deadline. Payment deadlines are separate.
Network, prescriptions, and enrollment checklist
A lower cost estimate does not mean the plan works for the household. Check each item directly with the plan or enrollment administrator.
0 of 6 checks marked
How this calculator works
Expected-cost formula: effective premiums + modeled in-network medical out-of-pocket cost − usable employer HSA/HRA funding. Pretax savings apply only when selected and use the combined marginal rate entered.
Medical cost uses the same household allowed-care assumption for COBRA, the spouse plan, and the Marketplace plan. The model applies the remaining deductible, then the entered coinsurance, and caps additional spending at the remaining out-of-pocket maximum. COBRA keeps entered current-year progress; new-plan progress begins at zero.
Marketplace net premium equals the entered gross quote minus the entered monthly advance premium tax credit, floored at zero. The tool never estimates eligibility or the credit. A mixed arrangement uses direct user-entered expected and maximum out-of-pocket estimates because combining multiple plans into one deductible would be misleading.
Partial-duration coverage is displayed but excluded from rankings for a period it cannot fully cover. Worst case means the entered, in-network covered-care limit—not unlimited protection.
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Job-loss health coverage guide
Compare the full transition—not only the monthly premium
Losing job-based coverage can create three simultaneous decisions: whether to continue the existing plan through COBRA, join a spouse’s employer plan, or use an ACA Marketplace plan. The cheapest premium can lose once deductible progress, employer funding, subsidies, and timing are included.
This tool uses the quotes and plan details you enter. It does not calculate Marketplace subsidy eligibility, determine enrollment rights, or replace a plan administrator or Marketplace notice.
How to use this tool
Set the transition dates
Enter the coverage-loss date, months left in the plan year, COBRA notice date if available, and months of COBRA eligibility remaining.
Copy exact premium quotes
Use the full COBRA premium, incremental spouse-plan payroll cost, and Marketplace gross premium and APTC shown by the official Marketplace.
Use plan documents
Enter in-network deductibles, coinsurance, out-of-pocket limits, current COBRA progress, and employer HSA or HRA funding.
Verify the non-price details
Confirm enrollment deadlines, effective dates, providers, facilities, prescriptions, referrals, and prior-authorization rules.
Why COBRA can win late in a plan year
COBRA generally continues the same group coverage, so current plan-year deductible and out-of-pocket progress may carry forward. A short employer-paid COBRA subsidy can also materially reduce transition cost. The premium may rise when that subsidy ends or when you pay the full group cost.
Why a spouse plan can win
Employer contributions and pretax payroll deductions can make the incremental spouse or family tier attractive. Working-spouse surcharges, a reset deductible, waiting-period details, and employer HSA or HRA funding can reverse the result.
Use an actual Marketplace result
Advance premium tax credits depend on the household application and projected annual income. Enter the gross premium and APTC from HealthCare.gov or the state Marketplace rather than guessing. Tax-credit reconciliation can change the final after-tax result.
When members use different plans
COBRA elections and other coverage decisions may differ by qualified beneficiary or household member. Use the optional mixed arrangement only after obtaining separate premiums and estimating each plan’s expected and maximum exposure; do not add deductible limits as if they were shared.
This calculator provides a simplified financial planning estimate, not medical, tax, legal, eligibility, enrollment, or coverage advice. Official notices, plan documents, the employer benefits office, HealthCare.gov or the state Marketplace, and applicable law control. Deadlines shown are general checkpoints and may not be your actual deadlines.
Sources and further reading
- U.S. Department of Labor: Life changes require health choices — General spouse-plan special enrollment, Marketplace, and COBRA timing information.
- U.S. Department of Labor: Health coverage after job loss — Federal overview of COBRA, special enrollment, and Marketplace alternatives.
- HealthCare.gov: Coverage after losing job-based insurance — Marketplace enrollment and coverage-loss information.
- HealthCare.gov: Total health-plan costs — Why premiums, deductibles, cost sharing, and out-of-pocket limits should be compared together.
- IRS: Premium Tax Credit questions and answers — Official federal tax-credit eligibility and reconciliation guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Is COBRA always more expensive than Marketplace coverage?
No. COBRA often has a high premium, but preserved deductible progress, an employer subsidy, a broader network, or different cost sharing can make it less expensive for part of the transition. Marketplace pricing depends on the actual plan and entered APTC.
Does COBRA preserve my deductible?
COBRA generally continues the same group plan, so plan-year accumulators commonly continue. Confirm the accumulator amounts, plan-year reset date, and whether the employer is changing plans with the administrator.
Can I join my spouse’s plan after losing my job coverage?
Loss of other coverage generally creates a special-enrollment right, commonly with a 30-day request window. The employer plan controls its documentation, effective-date, and administrative process, so contact the benefits office immediately.
Does electing COBRA eliminate Marketplace tax credits?
Eligibility depends on the circumstances and timing. Do not infer tax-credit eligibility from this calculator. Use the Marketplace application and IRS guidance, and get qualified help for tax questions.
Why does the calculator ask for gross premium and APTC separately?
Keeping both visible prevents the tool from silently inventing a subsidy and makes the exact Marketplace quote auditable. Net monthly Marketplace premium is gross premium minus the entered APTC, never below zero.
What does the worst-case result include?
It includes effective premiums and the remaining entered in-network out-of-pocket maximum, less modeled employer funding. Out-of-network, noncovered, balance-billed, and premium costs beyond the modeled period can exceed it.
Can family members choose different coverage?
Sometimes. COBRA rights can apply separately to qualified beneficiaries, while spouse-plan and Marketplace rules vary. The mixed-arrangement field compares a quote you already assembled; it does not determine who is eligible.
Why can next year rank differently?
Deductibles reset, temporary COBRA subsidies can end, COBRA eligibility can expire, and premiums or employer funding may change. Enter next-year figures when available and treat unchanged sample rates as placeholders.