COBRA Calculator

After a qualifying event, you typically have an 18 to 36-month window where COBRA continuation coverage and a marketplace health plan sit side by side as your two realistic options. Seeing the full cost of each matters because 2026 COBRA premiums are projected to average roughly $700 for individuals and $2,000 for families before administrative fees, and the right call depends heavily on whether marketplace subsidies are within reach. The comparison here lays the long-term price of both paths out in one place.

On the COBRA side, the math applies the statutory 102% premium (100% of the employer's cost plus a 2% administrative fee) to the prior employer-sponsored premium you report. Marketplace figures start from average 2026 silver plan costs for your age and location, then subtract estimated Advanced Premium Tax Credits (APTCs) tied to your projected household income relative to the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Both results are projected across 18, 24, and 36 months so the totals are directly comparable.

Real marketplace premiums and subsidies move with your exact location, income, and plan choice, so treat the marketplace estimate as a starting point rather than a quote. Deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums apply to COBRA and marketplace plans alike and can reshape which option is genuinely cheaper once you use care. The COBRA administrative fee is easy to wave off, yet over a year or more it quietly adds up to hundreds of dollars.