If I Sign Up for COBRA, Can I Switch to Individual Coverage in the Marketplace? What if I Enroll in a Marketplace Plan and Want to Switch Back to COBRA?

If you sign up for COBRA continuation coverage, you can switch to a Marketplace (on or off-exchange) plan during a Marketplace open enrollment period.  You can also end your COBRA continuation coverage early and switch to a Marketplace plan if you have another qualifying event such as marriage or birth of a child through something called a “special enrollment period.”

But be careful though – if you terminate your COBRA continuation coverage early without another qualifying event, you’ll have to wait to enroll in Marketplace coverage until the next open enrollment period, and could end up without any health coverage in the interim.

Once you’ve exhausted your COBRA continuation coverage and the coverage expires, you’ll be eligible to enroll in Marketplace coverage through a special enrollment period, even if Marketplace open enrollment has ended.

If you sign up for Marketplace coverage instead of COBRA continuation coverage, you cannot switch to COBRA continuation coverage under any circumstances.