After a qualifying event (job loss, hours cut, divorce, aging off a parent’s plan, and others), many people get a COBRA election notice. The election deadline is the last day you can choose continuation coverage under the employer group plan. Miss it and COBRA is usually gone—even if you meant to enroll. Coverage can often start retroactive to the loss-of-coverage date if you elect inside the window and pay on time.
COBRA cost and tradeoffs: Understanding COBRA health coverage. Job-loss money order: How to handle a sudden job loss.
The deadline in plain terms
| Item | Typical federal COBRA pattern (confirm your notice) |
|---|---|
| Who sends the notice | Employer or COBRA administrator (WageWorks/HealthEquity-style vendors, carriers, or HR) |
| Election window | Often 60 days from the later of loss of coverage or receipt of the election notice |
| What you elect | Continue the same group medical (and sometimes dental/vision) plan options |
| If you miss it | COBRA election usually unavailable; marketplace or new-employer coverage may still open |
State “mini-COBRA” rules for smaller employers can differ. Always calendar the date printed on your notice, not a blog’s generic “60 days.”
When coverage actually starts
Electing COBRA inside the window typically lets coverage begin on the date you otherwise would have lost group coverage—even if you elect on day 45. That retroactive start is why people sometimes wait while comparing Healthcare.gov / state marketplace quotes: they want continuity for mid-window claims.
Catch:
- You usually must pay premiums for the months you “go back.”
- Providers may bill you as self-pay until the election and payment clear.
- Network rules stay the plan’s rules: Understanding health insurance networks.
Worked example: 60-day window, surgery on day 20
Priya’s job ends May 31. Group coverage ends May 31. The COBRA packet arrives June 10 with an election deadline of August 9 (60 days from notice, as stated in her letter—her facts control).
June 20 Priya needs an MRI that her Blue Cross PPO would have covered after deductible. She has not elected yet.
| Choice | What happens (illustrative) |
|---|---|
| Elect COBRA June 22 and pay back premiums | Coverage can run from June 1; MRI may reprocess under the group plan once paid |
| Wait until August 8, then elect | Still inside window; owes premiums for June–August continuity |
| Miss August 9 | No COBRA; marketplace special enrollment after loss of coverage may still help, but June MRI may stay self-pay / assistance-plan territory |
Priya also compares a marketplace silver plan and a spouse’s add-on. Deductible progress on the old plan does not automatically transfer: Health insurance deductibles.
COBRA deadline vs marketplace timing
Loss of employer coverage is often a special enrollment trigger on Healthcare.gov or a state exchange. That clock is separate from COBRA’s election window. You can:
- Elect COBRA for continuity, then leave COBRA later under plan rules when a better option starts.
- Skip COBRA and use marketplace/new-employer coverage only—if you accept the gap risk for claims during the decision period.
Open enrollment is a different season: Understanding health insurance open enrollment. Premium tax credit basics if marketplace-bound: Health insurance premium tax credit.
HSA, FSA, and the election calendar
- High-deductible plan + HSA eligibility can change when you leave the employer plan—see HSA and FSA basics.
- FSA balances may have run-out or forfeiture rules at termination; ask HR in writing.
- Do not assume COBRA automatically preserves every account-based benefit the same way.
Checklist
- Find the election deadline printed on the COBRA notice; put it on two calendars.
- Note the coverage end date and whether election is retroactive if you pay.
- Price full COBRA premium (often ~102% of plan cost) vs marketplace / spouse / new job.
- If you need care inside the window, ask providers how bills reprocess after a late election.
- Confirm dental/vision election rules—they may be separate checkboxes.
- Keep the notice, payment confirmations, and any HR emails with your tax/benefits file.
- If the notice never arrives, contact the plan administrator in writing immediately—deadlines can hinge on notice timing.
If you are weighing COBRA against specialized premium credits, HCTC is not the same as Marketplace PTC: HCTC basics.
Educational only. Not tax, legal, or benefits advice. COBRA, mini-COBRA, and marketplace rules vary by employer size and state. Read your election notice and Department of Labor / HealthCare.gov materials for your situation.