What to do if you lose health insurance

Losing health insurance can start several different deadlines. You do not need to understand every insurance rule today. Begin by confirming exactly when your current coverage ends, then check the options with the shortest enrollment windows.

Do not assume that losing every type of coverage creates the same rights. The Marketplace, an employer plan, Medicaid or CHIP, and COBRA use different rules. The responsible plan or agency must determine your eligibility.

Step 1: Write down these dates

• The last day your current plan will cover you.
• The date you received the termination or eligibility notice.
• The deadline printed on any Marketplace, employer, Medicaid, CHIP, or COBRA notice.
• The earliest date a new plan could begin.

Save the notice that shows the type of coverage you lost and the date it ends. HealthCare.gov may ask for documents confirming the loss of coverage before completing a Special Enrollment Period. If you are not sure what document you need, use the plain-language proof of lost coverage guide.

Step 2: Check four possible paths

1. Another employer health plan

If you, a spouse, a parent, or another eligible family member has access to an employer plan, contact its benefits office immediately. The U.S. Department of Labor states that job-based plans must generally provide at least 30 days to request special enrollment after losing other coverage.

“I am losing other health coverage on [date]. Do I qualify for special enrollment in this plan? What is my deadline, what documents do you need, and when would coverage begin?”

2. Marketplace coverage

Losing qualifying coverage may create a Marketplace Special Enrollment Period. HealthCare.gov says that, depending on the event, you usually have 60 days before or 60 days after the loss to select a plan. People who lost Medicaid or CHIP may have a different window; current federal guidance allows up to 90 days after that loss in certain circumstances.

See our broader guide to coverage options outside Open Enrollment, including other life events and year-round Medicaid or CHIP applications.

Use the official Marketplace for your state or begin at HealthCare.gov. Completing an application is how you receive an official eligibility result and learn whether financial savings may apply.

See the step-by-step Marketplace guide for the enrollment window, requested documents, and when coverage may begin.

Turning 26 and losing coverage through a parent? Use the focused guide to confirm the end date and compare the next coverage paths.

3. Medicaid or CHIP

You can apply for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program at any time of year. Eligibility depends on state rules and factors such as income, household size, age, pregnancy, disability, and family circumstances.

An adult and a child in the same household may receive different eligibility results. Apply through your state agency or HealthCare.gov rather than assuming that the entire household will have the same answer.

See the step-by-step Medicaid guide for income, household information, documents, and what to do after the state's decision.

4. COBRA continuation coverage

COBRA may allow you and eligible family members to temporarily continue the same job-based coverage after certain work or life changes. It does not apply to every employer or every situation.

The Department of Labor says you generally have 60 days to elect COBRA, beginning on the later of the date coverage ends or the date the election notice is provided. You usually pay the full premium—the portion you previously paid, the employer’s former contribution, and up to two percent more.

COBRA can preserve an existing network, deductible progress, and benefits, but the premium may be substantially higher. Ask the plan administrator for the exact monthly cost, first-payment deadline, start date, and termination rules.

Compare COBRA and Marketplace side by side before either enrollment window closes.

Step 3: Compare more than the monthly premium

• Start date: Will there be a gap in coverage?
• Monthly premium: What must you pay each month?
• Deductible: Does it restart under the new plan?
• Network: Are your current clinicians, hospitals, and pharmacies included?
• Prescriptions: Are current medications covered, and under what rules?
• Total cost: What are the copayments, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket limit?

Do not cancel an existing option until you understand whether and when the replacement coverage begins. Voluntarily ending COBRA early, for example, does not always create another Marketplace Special Enrollment Period.

Use the health insurance cost guide to compare the premium, deductible, other cost sharing, network, and estimated yearly cost.

If there may be a gap in coverage

For scheduled, non-emergency care, ask whether a community health center offers an income-based sliding-fee program. If you are not using insurance, request a written Good Faith Estimate from each provider or facility that may bill you.

• How to find low-cost medical care without insurance
• How a sliding fee scale works
• How to ask for a Good Faith Estimate

What to do today

1. Confirm the exact date your coverage ends.
2. Save the notice showing the loss and end date.
3. Call any available employer plan before its shorter deadline passes.
4. Check Marketplace eligibility before the Special Enrollment Period closes.
5. Apply for Medicaid or CHIP if it may fit your household.
6. Compare the exact COBRA premium and deadlines.
7. Confirm the start date before ending another option.

Official starting points

• HealthCare.gov: Coverage outside Open Enrollment
• HealthCare.gov: Special Enrollment Periods
• HealthCare.gov: Medicaid and CHIP
• U.S. Department of Labor: COBRA questions and answers

Sources last checked September 11, 2026. Enrollment periods, documentation, plan availability, premiums, subsidies, and eligibility rules can change. Verify current requirements directly with the plan, Marketplace, employer, or state agency.

Common questions

How long do I have to get Marketplace insurance after losing coverage?

Losing qualifying coverage may create a Special Enrollment Period. HealthCare.gov says you may qualify if you lost coverage in the past 60 days or expect to lose it in the next 60 days. A different 90-day window may apply after losing Medicaid or CHIP. The Marketplace makes the official eligibility decision.

Can I apply for Medicaid after losing my job?

Yes. You can apply for Medicaid or CHIP at any time of year. Eligibility and benefits depend on state rules and household circumstances, so the state agency or Marketplace must make the official decision.

Is COBRA always better than a Marketplace plan?

No single option is always better. Compare the exact premium, start date, deductible progress, provider network, prescriptions, and enrollment deadlines before deciding.

Should I wait for my insurance termination notice before checking options?

No. Confirm the end date and begin checking deadlines as soon as possible. Save the notice when it arrives because the Marketplace or another plan may request proof of the coverage loss.

Do not send termination notices, insurance cards, income records, identification numbers, or medical information to The Health Question. This article does not determine eligibility or recommend a specific plan.