Just got a COBRA letter? Losing job-based coverage opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period — and because COBRA carries no employer contribution and no premium tax credit, the alternative is often much cheaper.
Not a government marketplace. Health Enrollment Center is operated by Sprinter Insurance Agency LLC.
New York works differently from most states, in ways that favor the consumer. It runs its own marketplace — NY State of Health — and it's one of the few states that offers the Essential Plan, a comprehensive, very low or $0-premium plan for residents who earn too much for Medicaid but still need affordable coverage. Many New Yorkers who'd pay real money elsewhere qualify for near-free coverage here.
COBRA lets you keep your former employer's exact plan — but now you pay the whole premium plus a 2% admin fee, with no employer contribution. For most households that's $650–$1,200+ a month. The letter makes it sound like your only option. It isn't.
Losing employer coverage is a qualifying life event. It opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period on the ACA marketplace, where your income may qualify you for a premium tax credit that COBRA can never offer. Many people who were paying $900 for COBRA move to a comparable Silver plan for $300–$450 — often keeping the same primary-care doctor in-network.
The timing move that saves people money: you have 60 days from the date your coverage ends to enroll in a marketplace plan. Unlike COBRA, marketplace coverage is not retroactive — it starts on a future date, so a gap is possible if you wait. Before you pay that first COBRA invoice, it's worth a 10-minute call to compare. If an ACA plan beats COBRA, we help you enroll; if COBRA is genuinely better for your situation, we'll tell you that too.
New York runs its own exchange, NY State of Health, rather than using HealthCare.gov. That matters more than it sounds: state-based exchanges set their own Open Enrollment dates, can recognize special enrollment situations the federal marketplace does not, and sometimes administer state-only programs that have no federal equivalent. Check the NY State of Health calendar rather than assuming the federal dates apply to you. New York runs its own state-based marketplace, NY State of Health, and also offers the low-cost Essential Plan.
One thing to check before you pay a COBRA invoice in New York: if losing the job dropped your household income, the marketplace subsidy you now qualify for is usually far cheaper than COBRA — and if the drop was steep, the children may qualify for CHIP, which runs year-round rather than on the 60-day clock. For most above-poverty households, though, the win is simply a subsidized marketplace plan COBRA can never match on price. New York expanded Medicaid and additionally offers the Essential Plan — a very low or $0-premium option for lower-income residents who earn too much for Medicaid. Between the two, many New Yorkers qualify for comprehensive coverage at little to no cost.
The carriers writing individual business in New York include Fidelis Care, Healthfirst, UnitedHealthcare / Oxford, EmblemHealth, MetroPlusHealth and others. Networks and pricing are set county by county rather than statewide, so the same carrier can be the best value in one metro and the wrong choice an hour away. We quote New York City, Long Island, Buffalo and Albany — and every county in between.
Don't see yours? Call a licensed agent — most answers take under two minutes.
Yes. We help New York residents compare COBRA alternatives options against the alternatives so you can see the real trade-offs before you enroll.
The Essential Plan is a comprehensive health plan offered through NY State of Health for residents whose income is above Medicaid limits but still modest. For many enrollees it has a $0 monthly premium, no deductible, and low copays. It's one of the biggest reasons New Yorkers often pay far less than residents of other states — we'll check whether you qualify.
Through NY State of Health, the exchange New York runs itself — not HealthCare.gov. A licensed agent can enroll you in the same plans at the same price. Because New York sets its own calendar, check the Open Enrollment dates against NY State of Health rather than assuming the federal ones apply to you.
The carriers writing individual business in New York include Fidelis Care, Healthfirst, UnitedHealthcare / Oxford, EmblemHealth, MetroPlusHealth and others. Which of them is actually competitive depends on your county rather than the state — the lineup and the networks in New York City are not the lineup in Albany. We are independent and compare across all of them rather than steering you to one company.
Start with your ZIP. Two quick questions, then a licensed agent brings you the plans you actually qualify for — no cost, no obligation.