Hello, I am just trying to plan for post-JE when it happens. I have a special needs, 12-year-old boy. My wife is working near min wage, has health insurance, but not great, and they don't have family plans. If I have to get health insurance for my son and myself, what are my options in CT? Since I may not have income, do I qualify for any rebates for premiums from AccessHealthCT? Is the marketplace the only option until I get a job? I read here that Cobra is expensive, not sure if it will be more expensive than the marketplace. Does anyone have any experience getting health insurance post-JE? Thanks for any inputs
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In my state, the market plan for family coverage high deductible bronze plan was about half the cost of continuing cobra coverage through Cigna. Check your states website for comparison.
Call a health insurance broker in your state. They can look up all the plans offered there since health insurance is state by state. There are plans outside of ACA, typically high deductible plans that have lower premiums. Just review the coverage meets what you need.
You should be able to go to your states ACA site to search for plans based on family members and income to get an idea of monthly premiums and available plans, it's OK to put in what you think your income will be, you can change it, nothing will be submitted officially to just search.
It's possible you may get subsidized COBRA from Cigna for the length of your severance, I'm not sure the full terms of this round of JE's. This could be the best option to take for now if offered. I have heard it equates to about what you are already paying out of your paycheck, so the subsidies are good if that's the case. Otherwise, without a subsidy, you may as well go to the marketplace, COBRA is just the full cost of the insurance covered by you with no ability for tax credits.
The subsidies for ACA will be based on you and your spouses combined modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). Make sure to account for deductions, even if it's just the standard one when inputting your numbers. Severance is considered income, as well as things like dividends, capital gains and interest earned. If you are under the 400% poverty line, you will be eligible for subsidized ACA marketplace plans.
This administration removed the scaled approach to phasing out subsidized healthcare, and by doing so, there is now a subsidy cliff, if you are $1 over the 400% FPL (poverty line) you will pay full price. If you take the credits/subsidy up front (most people do) and your income is too high at year end, they will force you to pay back the credits.
One other important item, ACA/marketplace plans cannot deny you based on pre-existing conditions. However, if you buy a non-marketplace plan, they can refuse coverage. Be sure to sign up for a marketplace plan. On my state's website, they clearly identify the difference.
This administration is doing everything they can to gut this without any thought or care for the people of this country. There is a lot in this article explaining what is being proposed and / or already passed: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/06/gop-big-beautiful-bill-to-deal-shock-to-the-aca-marketplace.html
I really do wish you all the best.
You would likely qualify for a subsidized rate in the ACA marketplace (AccessHealthCT if you’re in CT) based on your projected income. But, as the poster below indicated, the enhanced subsidies were recently ended by Congress. This makes ACA plans much more expensive now (since the subsidies were reduced). But based on your expected lower income, you should qualify for at least some degree of subsidy. Remember that severance pay counts as income though. Good luck to you.
As part of your severance, Cigna is subsidizing the Cobra rate, so that is probably a better deal than the ACA marketplace during your severance period. But you should check this out to be sure. The ACA marketplace is the only other realistic option if you can’t be added to your wife’s coverage.
Unfortunately the Republicans in Congress eliminated the enhanced ACA subsidies that would have made an ACA plan much more affordable for you. I’m sorry to hear about your situation. That’s really difficult. Best of luck to you.
@a3 What made Cordani cry in the town hall was thinking about himself. He never once even acknowledged people like this that his “leadership” put in these terrible situations.
Cobra is typically expensive. You would need to google CT health insurance and see what is available in your state and any discounts. Activity search for other employment while you’re still getting Cigna paycheck. Look at CT state/county jobs.
In my state (not CT), COBRA was less expensive than marketplace.
I am in another state so not advice on my end but this post made me cry :'(