Difficulty understanding the gap coverage…

Hello everyone,

I have three dependents, and my health insurance (BCBS) ended on 06/29 due to a job loss. I am now self-employed and have not elected COBRA. For the time being, I have been paying for medications out of pocket. According to my insurance agent, I have until 08/31 to elect COBRA coverage. However, I inquired about skipping COBRA altogether and enrolling directly in BCBS starting September 1st.

The agent informed me that if I want to start coverage on September 1st, I would need to have COBRA or BCBS coverage retroactive to July 1st. I don’t see the necessity for covering July and August since my out-of-pocket costs have been relatively manageable. However, the agent implied that retroactive coverage is required to enroll in BCBS from 09/01.

Given that it's already the end of August, and I'm looking to save money, I plan to enroll in BCBS starting 09/01 if possible. My question is, do I need to have coverage for July and August to enroll in BCBS on September 1st, or can I enroll without retroactive coverage?

I would appreciate the guidance.

Edit: The state is Oklahoma.

submitted by /u/max_702
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