Starting a new job. What to do for health insurance in between?
January 8, 2022 11:54 AM

I start a new job this week. Since I was a temp, my old job ended the health insurance as soon as I ended the job. Although it is pricy, I want to sign up for Cobra just in case anything happens between now and the first of the next month. Is there any way to apply online to Cobra? I have Cobra Open Enrollment forms but these need to be mailed and I want coverage ASAP. I'm leaving out of town this weekend and wanted to make sure that I would be protected just in case something were to happen to me.
posted by sheepishchiffon to Law & Government (6 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
If you will be out of town, it's probably cheaper to buy travel insurance, since your insurance will only cover you in your state of residence unless it's an emergency room visit anyway.
posted by ananci at 11:56 AM on January 8, 2022


Usually, you can retroactively sign up for Cobra for 90 days. Double check to be sure.
posted by dum spiro spero at 11:58 AM on January 8, 2022


Yeah, since Cobra is retroactive what I've done in the past is fill out the form and given it to someone I trust so that they can sign me up if I'm hit by a bus or something.
posted by geegollygosh at 12:04 PM on January 8, 2022


Actually, it's 60 days that you can sign up for COBRA (see this Department of Labor PDF). And it can apply retroactively in that 60 day period, so if you're just waiting for new insurance to start, if you don't end up needing it, don't sign up and save yourself some money. If you do end up needing it, that's when you sign up. Geegollygosh's idea is a good one to have someone you trust hold the form so that they can mail in the application if you're incapacitated and can't do it yourself.
posted by ShooBoo at 2:38 PM on January 8, 2022


There is a crazy extension on COBRA deadlines now due to COVID. When I quit my job in December 2020 I had a weekend without coverage and figured I'd just claim COBRA if need be.
posted by getawaysticks at 5:37 PM on January 8, 2022


If you have a credit card, it might provide some travel insurance? Worth checking, I guess.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 7:34 AM on January 9, 2022


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