Losing health insurance is stressful, whether it comes from a layoff, cut hours, a divorce, or aging off a parent's plan. The good news is that you have options, and most of them come with deadlines. Here's how to protect yourself and avoid a gap in coverage.
You Have 60 Days: Don't Let It Slip By
Losing qualifying health coverage triggers a Special Enrollment Period. Through Get Covered NJ, New Jersey's official marketplace, you can enroll starting 60 days before your coverage ends and up to 60 days after it ends. If you're losing NJ FamilyCare specifically, that window extends to 90 days.
Miss the deadline and you'll usually have to wait for Open Enrollment, which runs November 1 through January 31. The simplest step is to find your exact coverage end date and count 60 days from there. That's your deadline.
Know Your Options
COBRA or New Jersey Continuation Coverage
Employers with 20 or more employees can offer federal COBRA for up to 18 months. Employers with 2 to 49 employees must offer New Jersey's continuation coverage, sometimes called “mini-COBRA.” Both require you to pay the full premium plus an administrative fee. This route makes sense if you're in the middle of treatment or want to keep your current doctors without interruption.
A Marketplace Plan Through Get Covered NJ
Depending on your income, you may qualify for a subsidy that lowers your monthly premium. The enhanced federal subsidies expired at the end of 2025, which raised prices for many households, but the base subsidies are still available. It's worth running your real numbers before assuming coverage is out of reach. Our page on the NJ Health Insurance Marketplace explains how plans and subsidies work.
NJ FamilyCare (Medicaid/CHIP)
Households earning roughly 138% of the federal poverty level or less may qualify for free or low-cost coverage, and children qualify at higher income levels. Unlike marketplace plans, NJ FamilyCare has no enrollment deadline, so you can apply any time.
A Spouse's or Parent's Plan
Losing coverage also lets you join a spouse's employer plan, but you generally have just 30 days to do it. If you're under 26, you can rejoin a parent's plan regardless of your marital or employment status.
Medicare, If You're 65 or Older
If you've reached 65, Medicare may be your next step. See our guide to Medicare Supplement plans in NJ to understand how Original Medicare and Medigap fit together.
Common Mistakes That Cost People Coverage
- Waiting too long and missing the 60-day Special Enrollment window
- Assuming you won't qualify for savings without checking
- Choosing a plan on premium alone without confirming your doctors are in the network
- Defaulting to COBRA without comparing your other options
How We Can Help
Comparing COBRA, marketplace plans, and NJ FamilyCare can feel like a lot, especially while you're dealing with everything else a coverage loss brings. As a local medical insurance broker in NJ, we compare your options for free and help you find a plan that fits both your budget and the doctors you want to keep.
Not sure where to start? Contact DGS Benefits for a free, no-obligation comparison before your deadline passes.