06/08/2026
Most people elect COBRA by default after leaving a job. Nobody reads the fine print until the bill arrives.
Here's what that bill actually looks like: your old employer was covering 70–80% of your health insurance premium. You were paying a small portion out of your paycheck. When you elect COBRA, you pay all of it — your share plus theirs — plus a 2% administrative fee.
For most people, that's $400–$900/month for one person. For a family, it can be $1,400–$2,000+.
And it expires in 18 months. So you're paying a premium rate for a temporary solution.
For healthy people, there's almost always a cheaper option with equal or better coverage — a private medically underwritten PPO. Available any month, no enrollment window, nationwide access, and no time limit on coverage.
We run the comparison for free. Most healthy applicants are surprised at the difference.
https://www.rkainsuranceadvisors.com/news/cobra-alternative-private-ppo-2026
Skip the ACA marketplace. Private underwritten PPO health insurance with BCBS, United, Cigna and Aetna. Self-employed, freelancers, truckers and travel nurses. Licensed in 30 states. NPN 19540130.
