Losing your health insurance is stressful enough without also trying to figure out what happens next. Whether you were laid off, had your hours cut, went through a divorce, or aged off a parent's plan, one thing is true across the board: you have more options than you might think — and a deadline that's easy to miss if no one tells you about it. Here's a clear breakdown of what to do right now, the coverage options available to New Jersey residents, and how a licensed local broker can help you compare plans without the guesswork, at no cost to you.

You Have 60 Days — Don't Let It Slip By

Losing job-based (or any qualifying) health coverage triggers what's called a Special Enrollment Period. Through GetCoveredNJ, New Jersey's official health insurance marketplace, you can enroll in a new plan starting 60 days before your coverage ends and up to 60 days after it ends. If you're losing NJ FamilyCare (Medicaid or CHIP) specifically, that window stretches to 90 days.

Miss the window, and you'll generally have to wait for the next Open Enrollment Period, which runs November 1 through January 31 each year. That could mean months without coverage. The first thing to do is find the exact date your current plan ends and count 60 days from there — that's your deadline to act.

Know Your Options

COBRA or New Jersey Continuation Coverage ("Mini-COBRA")

If your former employer had 20 or more employees, federal COBRA lets you keep your exact same plan for up to 18 months. If your employer had between 2 and 49 employees, New Jersey's own continuation coverage law (often called Mini-COBRA) offers similar protection. Either way, you'll pay the full premium yourself, plus an administrative fee, since your employer is no longer covering part of the cost. COBRA tends to make the most sense if you're mid-treatment or want to keep the exact same doctors without interruption.

A Marketplace Plan Through GetCoveredNJ

New Jersey runs its own ACA marketplace, and depending on your income, you may qualify for a subsidy that lowers your monthly premium. One important note for 2026: the enhanced federal subsidies that had been in place since 2021 expired on January 1, and premiums have gone up for many people as a result. That doesn't mean help isn't available — base subsidies still exist for many households — but it does mean the number you saw a year or two ago may not reflect what you'd actually pay today. It's worth running the real numbers rather than assuming coverage is out of reach.

NJ FamilyCare (Medicaid/CHIP)

If your household income is at or below about 138% of the federal poverty level (roughly $1,836/month for one person), you may qualify for NJ FamilyCare, which offers free or low-cost coverage. Children can qualify at much higher income levels — up to about 319% of the federal poverty level. Unlike marketplace plans, there's no enrollment deadline for NJ FamilyCare; you can apply any time.

A Spouse's or Parent's Plan

Losing your coverage is also a qualifying event to join a spouse's employer-sponsored plan, typically within a 30-day window, so check with their HR department right away. And if you're under 26, you can rejoin a parent's health plan even if you were previously married, financially independent, or living on your own.

Common Mistakes That Cost People Coverage

• Waiting too long to decide and missing the 60-day Special Enrollment window
• Assuming you make "too much" to qualify for savings without actually checking
• Choosing a plan based on premium alone, without confirming your doctors and prescriptions are in-network
• Defaulting to COBRA because it feels easiest, without comparing it to marketplace or NJ FamilyCare options first

How We Can Help

Comparing COBRA, Marketplace, and NJ FamilyCare side by side — with real numbers for your situation — is exactly what a licensed broker is for, and it costs you nothing to ask. DGS Benefits helps New Jersey residents sort through their options after a coverage loss and find a plan that actually fits their budget and their doctors, not just the first option that shows up in a search.

If you've recently lost your health insurance, don't wait until the deadline is close. Contact DGS Benefits today for a free, no-obligation consultation, and let's find your next plan together.