COBRA Cost Calculator
Updated November 2026 · Free · No sign-up
Calculate your COBRA premium — the full group cost + 2% admin that replaces your subsidized rate after leaving, how long coverage runs, and when the marketplace beats it.
Quick answer: COBRA = 102% of the TOTAL plan premium (employer share + yours). If you paid $180/month while employed on a $750 plan, COBRA costs $765/month — the 4x shock. Coverage runs 18 months (36 for some events); you have 60 days to elect, retroactively.
How COBRA Pricing Works
Employers typically pay 70-85% of group premiums invisibly; COBRA hands you the WHOLE premium plus a 2% admin fee. The numbers come from your election notice — and the sticker shock is the real cost of coverage you’d been seeing a fraction of (the total-comp line made visible).
The Rules That Matter
| Eligibility | 20+ employee plans; quit/fired (non-gross-misconduct)/hours-reduced all qualify |
| Duration | 18 months standard; 29 with disability; 36 for divorce/death/dependent events |
| 60-day election | From notice — RETROACTIVE to day one: the free-lookback strategy below |
| Payment | 45 days for the first payment after electing; 30-day grace monthly |
| Same plan | Identical coverage/network/deductible progress — the continuity value |
Worked Examples
Example 1 — the shock. $180/month employed → $765 COBRA → 6 months = $4,590 — budget it into any severance negotiation (employer-paid COBRA months are a standard ask).
Example 2 — the 60-day lookback play. Healthy, between jobs 7 weeks: don’t elect, stay alert — anything major happens, elect retroactively and pay; nothing happens, you saved the premiums. Legal, standard, underused.
Example 3 — marketplace comparison. Job loss = special enrollment: an ACA silver plan with subsidies (income-dependent) frequently beats $765 — but resets deductibles and networks; mid-treatment or late-deductible-year favors COBRA continuity.
Decision Framework
COBRA wins: mid-treatment, met deductibles, specific-network needs, short gaps (lookback play). Marketplace wins: healthy + longer gaps + subsidy-eligible incomes. Spouse’s plan: job loss opens their special enrollment — often the cheapest door. Whatever you choose, calendar the 60-day line; missing it forfeits the retroactive option permanently.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does COBRA cost?
102% of the full group premium — typically 3-5× your employed contribution, since the employer share lands on you; the exact figure is on the election notice.
How long does COBRA last?
18 months standard (29 with SSA disability, 36 for divorce/death/dependent aging-out events).
What is the 60-day COBRA rule?
You can elect up to 60 days after notice, RETROACTIVE to coverage loss — enabling the wait-and-see play: elect only if something happens in the window.
Is COBRA or marketplace coverage better?
COBRA for continuity (networks, met deductibles, treatment mid-stream); ACA marketplace with subsidies for healthy longer gaps — job loss triggers special enrollment either way.
Can severance include COBRA?
Employer-paid COBRA months are a standard severance ask — commonly 3-6 months in packages; always request it explicitly.
✓ Formula verified • Last updated: November 3, 2026