Keep COBRA Through December or Switch for January? A 2027 Coverage Checklist

Compare remaining 2026 coverage and full-year 2027 coverage separately. Keeping COBRA through December may preserve treatment and deductible progress, while January planning involves a fresh household income estimate, possible accumulator resets and any employer contribution ending. Neither keeping COBRA nor switching wins automatically.

Use the printable checklist and blank worksheet below without a form or calculator. Start with your own plan documents, not invented 2027 premiums. If you need the broader tradeoffs first, read COBRA versus Marketplace insurance after a job loss. Severance and equity details are covered separately in the layoff and stock compensation guide.

What dates should you plan around for January?

Plan for Marketplace Open Enrollment to open November 1, 2026 for 2027 coverage. Aim to complete your application and plan selection by December 15, 2026 for January 1 coverage, then verify the actual deadline, enrollment requirements, effective date and first payment with the relevant marketplace. This is a planning target, not a universal final closing date or a guaranteed start date.

Official sources currently differ. As checked October 11, 2026, HealthCare.gov's consumer dates and deadlines page lists November 1 to January 15. The CMS 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Final Rule fact sheet describes November 1 to December 15 for 2027 federally facilitated exchanges. Do not treat either as a universal final deadline for every marketplace. State marketplace schedules and implementation details need confirmation. See our qualified Open Enrollment dates guide and check directly before relying on a closing date.

A January plan does not solve an earlier gap. If your employer coverage ends in October or November, track the loss-of-coverage Special Enrollment Period separately from fall Open Enrollment. Ask which effective date applies to your actual application rather than assuming the new plan begins the day after old coverage ends.

Why use two separate household income projections?

For remaining 2026 coverage, include wages already earned during 2026 plus expected taxable severance, unemployment, spouse earnings, net self-employment income and other relevant household income through year end. Lower current cash flow does not remove earlier earnings. For 2027, build a separate projection covering the entire new calendar year, including any known severance installments, anticipated new job and household earnings.

HealthCare.gov's annual household income guidance explains the estimate used for coverage-year assistance. If stock awards or sales are involved, have a CPA confirm taxable timing and basis. Do not double-count compensation already in W-2 wages or treat gross stock-sale proceeds as capital gain. Keep assumptions with each year's projection and update the application when those assumptions change.

Premium tax credits are eligibility-based, not guaranteed by a layoff. You may still buy Marketplace coverage without a credit if otherwise eligible. The IRS premium tax credit FAQ also states that after 2025 there is no excess advance-credit repayment limitation. Do not rely on an inaccurate estimate to make coverage look cheaper.

Will a deductible reset change the comparison?

A new plan can start a fresh deductible and out-of-pocket accumulator. What you already paid under COBRA normally does not transfer to the Marketplace plan. That matters if you have ongoing treatment or a procedure planned before December ends. Ask the new carrier about any exception rather than assuming a credit.

Keeping the same COBRA plan does not necessarily preserve this year's accumulated spending into 2027. Accumulators can reset at plan-year renewal, and the employer plan year may differ from the calendar year. Confirm the actual renewal date, deductible, out-of-pocket maximum and benefit changes with the administrator. Review family and individual accumulators separately where relevant.

Compare premiums plus expected cost sharing without adding the full deductible again to expenses that already count toward it. The out-of-pocket maximum is not a cap on every household expense: premiums, noncovered services and some out-of-network charges can sit outside it. Record those uncertainties rather than treating the worksheet as a precise prediction.

Which employment and treatment dates matter?

Write down the employer COBRA contribution amount and its expiration date. Ask what you will pay after the contribution ends and whether that change creates an enrollment opportunity. HealthCare.gov's COBRA guidance distinguishes the end of employer or government contributions and COBRA exhaustion from voluntary cancellation or nonpayment.

If you expect new-employer insurance, verify the waiting period and actual coverage start date with that employer. A hiring date is not necessarily an insurance start date. Decide which household members need bridge coverage, for how many months, and what happens if the job starts later than expected.

For ongoing treatment, verify each doctor and facility under the exact plan and year, including the location where care occurs. Check the precise prescription name, formulation, strength, quantity, prior authorization requirements and preferred pharmacy. A health system name or an old directory entry is not proof of current participation. Confirm with both the plan and provider before changing coverage.

Printable coverage checklist

Two-period cost worksheet

Fill this blank worksheet on paper or a printed copy. No information is entered or sent from this page. Obtain actual quotes for your household and dates; no 2027 price or subsidy is assumed. Compare remaining 2026 months first, then a separate 2027 annual view. If you expect employer coverage during 2027, break the annual view into the actual periods you need.

Which deadline is which, and when can you cancel?

The COBRA election period is generally at least 60 days from the later of the notice being furnished or the date coverage would be lost. The initial premium is generally due no earlier than 45 days after election and can include retroactive months. These are COBRA rules from the Department of Labor consumer FAQ, not extensions of your Marketplace window.

Loss of job-based coverage generally allows Marketplace plan selection up to 60 days before and after the loss, subject to rules and documentation. Open Enrollment is a different enrollment path. Voluntarily cancelling COBRA or stopping payment generally does not create a new Special Enrollment Period. Review HealthCare.gov's Special Enrollment Period guidance and the COBRA switching guide before deciding.

Confirm the application outcome, approved enrollment and effective date, and initial premium required to put replacement coverage in force before cancelling COBRA. Applying while on COBRA is not the same as activating a new plan. A person generally cannot claim premium tax credits for months actually enrolled in COBRA. Keep written confirmations and explicitly coordinate the transition; do not create a gap in the hope that an application will be approved later.

For local provider-checking and transition steps, see the Omaha job-loss guide. The worksheet helps organize a review; it does not determine eligibility, benefits or total actual spending.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources reviewed October 11, 2026. Official sources are linked with the relevant claims. This checklist is educational, not a tax calculation, coverage determination or 2027 quote.