Cobra Help? We’re in a bit of a pickle.

So my husband ended a job recently. For complicated reasons, we're not sure if he technically quit, or if he was terminated, but the employer said he was eligible for Cobra. His last day was Friday, and he started a new job yesterday (Monday).

Our problem is this: his old job said his insurance is only good through November 10th and his new job starts insurance coverage on Jan 1st because he needs to be employed a full 30 days before coverage starts. Cobra is stupid expensive, so we were originally thinking of doing a marketplace plan in the gap month because we assumed our current insurance lasted until the end of the month, but knowing that it's already ended is making us reconsider. The tricky part is his old company told us today that he has until Thursday to elect Cobra. That's 2 days notice. Here is what's stated on his Cobra form (with id info removed obviously):

"Instructions: To elect COBRA continuation coverage, complete this Election Form and return it to

us. Under federal law, you have 60 days after the date of this notice to decide whether you want to elect COBRA continuation coverage under the Plan.

…

This Election Form must be completed and returned by email Nov 16th, 2023. If mailed, it must be

post-marked no later than Nov 17th, 2023.

If you don’t submit a completed Election Form by the due date shown above, you’ll lose your right to

elect COBRA continuation coverage. If you reject COBRA continuation coverage before the due date,

you may change your mind as long as you submit a completed Election Form before the due date.

However, if you change your mind after first rejecting COBRA continuation coverage, your COBRA

continuation coverage will begin on the date you submit the completed Election Form.

Read the important information about your rights included in the pages after the Election Form."

So it says we have 60 days, but then puts the due date two days out (form dated today at the top) AND says it doesn't back pay if we elect coverage later….In my understanding, we would be able to wait until January 1st and only apply for Cobra if we needed to go to the ER or something and it would back pay. And if we take Cobra for the remainder of the month, we are ineligible for the cheaper marketplace plans next month. This feels wrong, but tbh so does most of America's healthcare so I am not sure what to do….

Also, if we do wait and not do Cobra, are we eligible for the reduced marketplace plans? Or no since the new employer offers healthcare, just not until Jan?

THANKS!

submitted by /u/tarixsim
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