What Should I Do When My COBRA Coverage Is About To Expire?

When your COBRA coverage expires, you will qualify for a special enrollment period to sign up for a marketplace ACA health insurance plan. There are also other options, such as Mira. The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, or COBRA, allows for great flexibility to find other health insurance options and ensure you have health coverage. 

COBRA Expiration

COBRA coverage is a perfect bridge between old and new coverage. While temporary, you can stay on your COBRA for approximately 18 to 36 months in most circumstances. You can initiate COBRA after voluntary or involuntary termination. The length of time that you have COBRA coverage depends on the type of qualifying event that made you eligible in the first place. 

After your COBRA expires, you must sign up for coverage as soon as possible. To obtain an ACA plan, you will have 60 days to enroll after losing COBRA. Suppose your COBRA coverage expires outside the open enrollment period. In that case, you must confirm your qualifying life event (QLE) and special enrollment period. You can do this by signing in or up to your state's health insurance marketplace. You may need to verify the QLE by sending documents; instructions will be given after submitting your marketplace application.