These guides sit next to the free COBRA vs. ACA Marketplace calculator. They exist so you can read the 2026 rules — clocks, MAGI, the 400% FPL cliff, and when COBRA still wins — without having to reverse-engineer a results screen. None of them is a quote or an enrollment application.
How the decision works
The 60-day COBRA election, the 60-day Marketplace SEP, the retroactive wait strategy, MAGI after a layoff, and doctor networks.
ACA subsidies in 2026
Enhanced credits expired December 31, 2025. Rev. Proc. 2025-25 percentages, the 400% cliff, and Medicaid vs. the coverage gap.
When COBRA still wins
Specialists, HSA continuity, and short bridges versus an income drop that actually produces a 2026 premium tax credit.
For the formulas inside the estimator — 2026 FPL, the three-child cap, the 2% COBRA fee, and why there is no ZIP quote — see methodology. Publisher identity is on the about page.
When you are ready to put numbers on the comparison, return to the calculator. Then replace our national-average silver illustration with a HealthCare.gov quote for your ZIP before you pay a premium or let a deadline pass.