If you're leaving or losing a job in Florida, you don't have to take COBRA. COBRA lets you keep your exact workplace plan, but you pay the entire premium yourself (often $600–$1,500+ a month), because your employer stops chipping in. For most healthy people, there are cheaper ways to stay covered — and losing job-based coverage opens a special window to get them right away.
First, the good news: losing coverage is a "qualifying life event"
When your job-based plan ends, you get a 60-day Special Enrollment Period. That means you can buy an individual plan immediately — you do not have to wait for open enrollment. Acting inside that window is how you avoid a gap in coverage.
Your three main alternatives to COBRA
1. A private (medically underwritten) plan. If you're reasonably healthy, this is often the cheapest route — nationwide PPO access at a meaningfully lower premium than COBRA. This is my specialty, and it's the option most people don't know exists.
2. An ACA marketplace plan. Because your income may have dropped, you could now qualify for subsidies that make a marketplace plan far cheaper than it looked while you were employed.
3. Short-term coverage to bridge a gap. If you only need to cover a few weeks before a new job's plan starts, a short-term policy can be a low-cost stopgap.
When COBRA actually makes sense
COBRA is worth it in two cases: you're mid-treatment and don't want to change doctors or restart a deductible, or someone on the plan has a serious condition that makes a private plan expensive or unavailable. Otherwise, it's usually the most expensive option on the table.
How to decide without guessing
The right answer depends on your health, your income now, and your doctors. As a licensed Florida advisor I'll compare COBRA against private and marketplace options side by side, in plain English — at no cost to you, since carriers pay broker commissions either way. If you've just lost coverage, reach out before that 60-day window closes or call (305) 900-5903. For a broader look at your options, see our personal and family coverage page.
