The short answer
When you leave a job, your employer health coverage usually ends, which can create a gap before your next job's coverage starts. The good news is you have options: losing job-based coverage opens a special enrollment period on the ACA Marketplace (often with subsidies), you can elect COBRA to continue your old plan, or you can use a short-term stopgap. The right choice depends on the length of the gap and your budget.
So a job change doesn't have to mean going uninsured — you just need to pick the bridge that fits.
Your main options
A Marketplace plan is often the best value: losing coverage qualifies you for a special enrollment period, and you may get subsidies based on your now-lower income. COBRA lets you keep your exact old plan and network, but at full cost (usually expensive). Short-term plans are cheap but limited and not ACA-compliant, so they're a last resort for brief gaps. Our guide to COBRA vs. the Marketplace after a job loss compares the first two.
For most people between jobs, a subsidized Marketplace plan beats COBRA on cost.
How to bridge the gap
Figure out how long the gap will be and when your new coverage starts. For a short, defined gap, COBRA's retroactive election can be a safety net (you can elect it if something happens). For a longer or uncertain gap, a Marketplace plan with a subsidy is usually the better bridge. Our individual health insurance overview covers the options.
The takeaway: you have a special enrollment window when you lose job coverage, so use it to stay insured affordably between jobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I stay insured between jobs?
Losing job coverage opens a special enrollment period on the Marketplace (often with subsidies), or you can elect COBRA to keep your old plan, or use a short-term stopgap for a brief gap.
Is COBRA or a Marketplace plan better between jobs?
For most people, a subsidized Marketplace plan is cheaper than COBRA, which charges the full premium. COBRA keeps your exact plan and network, which some prefer for a short gap.
Are short-term plans a good option between jobs?
Only as a last resort for a brief gap. They're cheap but limited and not ACA-compliant, so they lack key protections. A subsidized Marketplace plan is usually better.
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