COBRA, Are There Alternatives?

COBRA provides certain former employees, retirees, spouses, former spouses, and dependent children the right to temporary continuation of health coverage at group rates.  This coverage, however, is only available when coverage is lost due to certain specific events. 

Group health coverage for COBRA participants is usually more expensive than health coverage for active employees, since usually the employer pays a part of the premium for active employees while COBRA participants generally pay the entire premium themselves. 

As an alternative to COBRA, an individual health insurance plan might be the best choice.  Individual policies are generally less-expensive than accepting the COBRA coverage.  However, pre-existing health conditions must be taken into consideration when deciding between the two.

Local Broker

Call (1-800-345-0789) or email your local Colorado broker, Michael Horvat, if you have any questions. Michael has over 28 years of experience in the health insurance industry.

We also recommend you run our free quote engine to get an initial cost estimate and comparison of hundreds of plans from multiple providers. You can then sort plans according to a number of variables, apply online, download an application, or have an application sent to you via mail.

Health Insurance University

Check out our Health Insurance University to get insider tips on how to apply for health insurance and get a better understanding of how to pick the best plan type - HMO, PPO, POS, Indemnity or HSA - for your unique situation.  Plus there is information on COBRA, a glossary of terms and FAQs.