Special Enrollment · COBRA · Michigan

Lost your job-based health insurance? Your 60-day options in Michigan

Losing job coverage opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period, and you can start before the coverage ends. Here’s how COBRA and a Marketplace plan compare, with real Michigan prices.

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You have 60 days, and the clock can start early

Up to 60 days beforeIf you know your job-based coverage will end, you can pick a Marketplace plan ahead of time. Coverage starts the first day of the month after your old coverage ends, so there’s no gap.
The day your coverage endsThe Special Enrollment window is counted from the day your coverage ends, not your last day of work. A job that ends June 21 with coverage through June 30 counts from June 30.
Up to 60 days afterPick a plan within 60 days after coverage ends. Coverage starts the first day of the month after you pick a plan. You may need to send proof of the coverage loss within 30 days.

Sources: HealthCare.gov, Special Enrollment Period and document pages; CMS “Understanding COBRA” Q&A.

Miss the 60 days and you may wait until Open Enrollment

If you don’t pick a plan in time, HealthCare.gov says you can’t enroll until the next Open Enrollment unless you have another qualifying event. Open Enrollment for 2027 runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. [HealthCare.gov]

Lower income now? Medicaid (the Healthy Michigan Plan for adults up to 138% of the poverty level) has no enrollment window. You can apply any time through MI Bridges.

Map out my 60 days with an advisor

COBRA or a Marketplace plan?

	COBRA	Marketplace plan (HealthCare.gov)
Your plan and doctors	Same plan, same network	New plan; networks vary by insurer and county
Cost	Usually the full premium plus up to a 2% admin fee, since the employer typically stops paying its share	Full price, or lower with a premium tax credit based on your expected income for the year
How long	Generally up to 18 months after a job loss	For as long as you stay eligible and keep paying
Deductible	What you’ve met this year generally carries on, because it’s the same plan	Starts over with the new plan
Switching later	If you choose COBRA, you can still switch to a Marketplace plan within your original 60-day window. After that, dropping COBRA on purpose (or not paying) doesn’t open a new Special Enrollment Period. COBRA running out does.

Sources: HealthCare.gov, “COBRA coverage when you’re unemployed”; CMS COBRA Q&A; U.S. Department of Labor, “An Employee’s Guide to Health Benefits Under COBRA.”

Income for the year is what counts

Marketplace savings are based on expected household income for the whole year, not just your income now. Unemployment compensation counts as income, and so do wages you earned before the job ended. A lower-income year can mean a bigger credit than you’d expect. [HealthCare.gov, what counts as income]

Spouse’s plan?

Losing your coverage usually also lets you join a spouse’s job-based plan under that plan’s own special enrollment rules. Ask the employer about its deadline, and compare it with the Marketplace before you decide.

What a Marketplace plan costs where you live (2026)

COBRA notices list the full monthly premium. Here’s what Marketplace plans cost at full price in 2026, before any tax credit, in the counties we cover:

County (2026)	Insurers	Lowest Bronze, age 40	Benchmark Silver, age 40	Benchmark Silver, age 60
Kent (Grand Rapids)	7	$356.39	$471.47	$1,001.22
Wayne (Detroit)	5	$348.64	$507.80	$1,078.37
Oakland (Troy)	5	$345.23	$507.18	$1,077.07
Macomb (Warren)	5	$345.23	$507.18	$1,077.07
Washtenaw (Ann Arbor)	5	$421.33	$488.96	$1,038.38
Genesee (Flint)	6	$380.93	$388.03	$824.03
Ingham (Lansing)	5	$416.21	$448.22	$951.85
Kalamazoo	6	$422.01	$449.91	$955.44
Ottawa (Holland)	6	$356.39	$471.47	$1,001.22
Muskegon	5	$356.39	$471.47	$1,001.22
Saginaw	4	$400.90	$632.60	$1,343.40
Grand Traverse (Traverse City)	4	$375.09	$591.88	$1,256.93

Source: CMS QHP Landscape Individual Market Medical file, plan year 2026, computed by county. Monthly full-price premiums for non-tobacco users before any premium tax credit. “Benchmark” is the second-lowest-cost Silver plan, which sets the size of the tax credit. 2027 plans and prices aren’t published yet.

Find your county’s insurers on our local pages. Leaving a job to start your own business? See self-employed and 1099 & gig workers.

2-minute advisor Q&A

Lost your job coverage? What to do this week

A Nexus advisor answers the questions we hear most. (Video coming soon.)

When does my 60-day window start?
COBRA or a Marketplace plan?
How do I estimate income after a layoff?

2-minute advisor Q&A Video coming soon

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to get health insurance after losing my job in Michigan?

You generally have 60 days after your job-based coverage ends to pick a Marketplace plan through a Special Enrollment Period, and you can also pick one up to 60 days before it ends. The window is counted from the day the coverage ends, not your last day of work.

Is COBRA or a Marketplace plan cheaper?

It depends on your income and plan. COBRA usually costs the full premium plus up to a 2% fee. A Marketplace plan may cost less if you qualify for a premium tax credit based on your expected income for the year. Compare both before your 60 days run out.

Can I drop COBRA and switch to a Marketplace plan later?

Within your original 60-day window, yes. After that, voluntarily dropping COBRA or stopping payments doesn't qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period. When COBRA runs out, you get a new 60-day window.

Does unemployment income count for Marketplace savings?

Yes. HealthCare.gov counts unemployment compensation as income. Your savings are based on your expected household income for the whole year.

When does my new coverage start?

If you pick a plan before your old coverage ends, the new plan starts the first of the month after it ends. If you pick after, it starts the first of the month after you pick.

Will you sell my information?

No. It goes to one licensed Michigan advisor at Nexus and is never sold.

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