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I just was diagnosed with cancer and had the worst luck in timing - I left my job a few months ago and my COBRA coverage ends soon. How do I find new insurance? I'm worried that my treatment (early-stage breast cancer) is going to bankrupt me.
- Felix Li(Insurance Navigator)•
Here are some options: (1) Marketplace Insurance: You can enroll in a plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace. You will have a Special Enrollment Period if you've recently lost your COBRA coverage. The Health Insurance Marketplace is a service that helps people shop for and enroll in affordable health insurance. You can self-serve or decide to work with an insurance broker to get appropriate coverage. When a broker helps a person enroll in a health plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace, the insurance company pays the broker a commission for their services. It's important to note that these commissions are built into the cost of all insurance policies, whether a person uses a broker or not. This means that you don't pay more for a policy if you use a broker. In fact, using a broker can often help you find a plan that is more cost-effective for your particular situation. (2) Medicaid: This is a state and federal program that provides health coverage for some low-income people, families and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Eligibility rules vary from state to state. (3) Medicare: If you're over 65 or have certain disabilities, you may be eligible for Medicare, the federal health insurance program. Finally, it's important to get started on finding coverage quickly so there is no gap between COBRA coverage and your new plan. Cancer does come with unexpected costs so we are happy to help continuing to support planning and finding access to appropriate resources.