Adults under 65 who lose job-based health coverage usually have one question before any other: how many months of COBRA do I get? The federal answer in 2026 is set by the type of qualifying event, not by your employer or your plan. A job loss or cut in hours gives the employee, spouse, and dependent children up to 18 months. Divorce, the employee's death, the employee's Medicare enrollment, or a child losing dependent status gives spouses and children up to 36 months. A Social Security disability finding can stretch 18 months to 29.
This page covers the duration rules, the extensions, the reasons COBRA can end early, and the exact moment COBRA ending opens a special enrollment period on the marketplace. For cost, see what COBRA insurance is and how much it costs. For the marketplace window itself, see COBRA expiring and the special enrollment period. Figures and rules below reflect 2026 federal sources, and the duration rules are the same for 2027.
Coverage Breakdown
Direct answer: how long COBRA lasts (2026)
It depends on the qualifying event. As of 2026, COBRA lasts up to 18 months after a job loss or reduced hours, up to 29 months with a Social Security disability extension, and up to 36 months after divorce, death, Medicare enrollment, or a child aging off the plan. When COBRA ends, you get a 60-day special enrollment period for a marketplace plan.
The 18-month rule: job loss or reduced hours (2026)
The 18-month rule applies when coverage ends because the employee's job ends for any reason other than gross misconduct, or because hours are cut below the plan's eligibility line. The employee, the spouse, and dependent children each get up to 18 months under the 2026 Department of Labor rules. The clock starts when the job-based coverage would have ended, not on the day you elect COBRA, so an election made 50 days into the window still ends on the same date. You have 60 days to elect, counted from the later of the loss of coverage or the date the election notice is provided.
Payments follow their own deadlines. The first premium is due 45 days after you elect, and it can cover several months of back premiums. Later payments have a 30-day grace period after each due date, but the first payment does not. Under 2026 federal rules the plan may charge up to 102% of the plan cost, and missing a payment is the most common way people lose COBRA before the 18 months are up.
The 29-month disability extension (2026)
A Social Security disability finding can add 11 months to the 18, for a total of 29. The Department of Labor says the determination must come before day 60 of COBRA coverage and the disability must last through the first 18 months. When it applies, every qualified beneficiary on the plan gets the extra 11 months, not only the disabled person. The plan may charge the disabled person up to 150% of the plan cost in 2026, and up to 102% for others if only non-disabled beneficiaries continue.
You must notify the plan of the Social Security determination within the plan's deadline, which your COBRA notice states. Because the extension depends on a federal disability decision that can take months, people who might qualify usually apply to Social Security early in the 18-month period.
The 36-month rules: divorce, death, Medicare, and dependents (2026)
Four events give spouses and dependent children up to 36 months under the 2026 Department of Labor rules: the employee's divorce or legal separation, the employee's death, the employee's Medicare enrollment, and a dependent child losing dependent status. For the Medicare event, the spouse and children are the people who get the 36 months. A second qualifying event can also extend an existing 18 months, so a family on COBRA after a layoff that then faces a divorce can reach 36 months total, but never more than 36.
Medicare timing matters for adults who are still working. Enrolling in Original Medicare while still working generally does not end group coverage, but the Department of Labor warns that choosing COBRA without also enrolling in Medicare Part A and Part B may create unexpected financial obligations. COBRA is not the same as current job-based coverage for Medicare Part B timing, so a late Part B enrollment can bring a penalty. Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and Part D choices follow after Part B starts.
How COBRA can end before the maximum period (2026)
COBRA can stop early even when the maximum months remain. The Department of Labor lists five reasons in 2026: missed premium payments, the employer stops offering any group health plan, coverage under another group health plan begins after you elect COBRA, Medicare entitlement begins after you elect COBRA, and misconduct such as fraud. Starting a new job with group coverage is the most common of these for adults under 65, and a preexisting condition exclusion is generally not a concern in that new plan because ACA-compliant group plans cannot apply one.
- Missed premium payment after the 30-day grace period
- Employer ends all of its group health plans
- You become covered by another group health plan
- You become entitled to Medicare after electing COBRA
- Fraud or similar misconduct
What happens when COBRA runs out: the marketplace special enrollment period (2026-2027)
COBRA reaching the end of its maximum period is a qualifying event for a marketplace plan. HealthCare.gov says you have 60 days to enroll through a special enrollment period when COBRA expires or is no longer available, and it advises checking your coverage start date before you end COBRA so you avoid a gap. Voluntarily dropping COBRA does not count, and neither does stopping payments on your own. In those cases you generally wait for the next open enrollment unless another qualifying event applies.
Which plan year you buy depends on the date. Open enrollment for 2027 marketplace coverage runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, so a COBRA end date near the new year can fall in either window. For 2026 coverage the enhanced premium tax credits expired on December 31, 2025, and the 400% of poverty cap is back. Check income against the guidelines for the coverage year you pick. The screener on this site estimates your subsidy.
Alternatives if COBRA is ending or too short (2026)
Several options exist when COBRA ends or when you cannot keep paying for it. Each has its own enrollment rule, so compare them before the last COBRA day. The 60-day marketplace window is the one most adults under 65 rely on.
- Marketplace plan through a special enrollment period: 60 days after COBRA ends, at HealthCare.gov or your state exchange. Premium tax credits depend on income and coverage year.
- Spouse's or new employer's group plan: loss of coverage also opens a special enrollment period in most group plans, usually 30 days.
- Medicaid or CHIP: no enrollment window, so you can apply any month if income is within your state's limit. See the Medicaid income limits page.
- State continuation coverage: some states extend continuation rights to employees of smaller employers. Ask your state insurance department for the length in your state.
- Medicare, if you are 65 or older or disabled: coordinate with COBRA first so Part B timing does not trigger a penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does COBRA last after losing a job?
Up to 18 months. Under 2026 Department of Labor rules, a termination other than for gross misconduct, or a cut in hours, gives the employee, spouse, and dependent children up to 18 months of COBRA. The clock starts when your job-based coverage would have ended, so electing late does not add months.
Can COBRA be extended past 18 months?
Yes, in two ways. A Social Security disability finding before day 60 of COBRA adds 11 months for a total of 29. A second qualifying event, such as divorce or death of the employee, can extend family members to 36 months total. No path in 2026 goes beyond 36 months.
Why does COBRA last 36 months for some people?
Thirty-six months applies to spouses and dependent children after the employee's divorce or legal separation, death, or Medicare enrollment, and to a child who loses dependent status. These events happen to the family, not through a job loss, so federal law gives a longer runway to find other coverage.
What happens when COBRA runs out?
You have a 60-day special enrollment period to join a marketplace plan at HealthCare.gov or your state exchange, per HealthCare.gov in 2026. Check your new plan's start date before COBRA ends to avoid a gap. Medicaid, a spouse's plan, or a new employer plan are also options.
Can COBRA end early?
Yes. In 2026 the Department of Labor lists missed premiums, the employer ending all group plans, new group coverage, Medicare entitlement after electing COBRA, and fraud. Ongoing payments have a 30-day grace period after each due date. The first payment, due 45 days after you elect, has no grace period.
Does dropping COBRA early give me a special enrollment period?
No. HealthCare.gov says voluntarily dropping COBRA does not count, and stopping payments yourself does not either. You would generally wait for open enrollment, which for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, unless another qualifying life event applies.
Does COBRA count as coverage for Medicare Part B timing?
Generally no. The Department of Labor warns that choosing COBRA without also enrolling in Medicare may create unexpected financial obligations. If you are 65 or older or on disability Medicare, check your Part B enrollment window before relying on COBRA, since a late Part B enrollment can carry a penalty.
Do small employers have to offer 18 months of COBRA?
Federal COBRA applies to employers with 20 or more employees in the prior year, per the Department of Labor. Smaller employers may fall under a state continuation law, and the length varies by state. Ask your plan administrator or state insurance department for the exact end date.
