Why the state matters
COBRA is federal law and works identically everywhere. Almost nothing else does. Enrollment dates differ, which products are legal differs, and what coverage costs differs by rating area within a single state. A national article can be accurate and still be wrong for you.
Each page below carries that state's own figures — uninsured rate, what a COBRA premium consumes of median income, layoff rate — drawn from federal data and dated.
All 50 states and DC
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Common questions
Do the rules change by state?
COBRA itself does not — it is federal law with the same 60-day election window and 102% premium everywhere. What changes is Open Enrollment dates in the states running their own marketplaces, whether short-term plans are legal, whether a state continuation law covers small employers, and what plans cost in your particular rating area.
Which states run their own marketplace?
20 states plus the District of Columbia operate their own platform, and 3 more run a state-based marketplace on the federal system. The rest use HealthCare.gov. Where a jurisdiction runs its own, it often sets its own enrollment dates.
Why do prices differ inside one state?
Plans are priced by geographic rating area, not statewide. Your county determines which plans you can buy and what they cost.
Is there help near me?
Plans are sold by county rather than city, so a licensed agent can check what is available where you live from anywhere. Calling (866) 821-1808 connects you with a licensed agent who can look up what is available in your county.
Talk it through with a licensed agent
Which option is right depends on your state, your income and which doctors you need to keep. A licensed agent can walk through it with you in about eight minutes.
Free to call, no obligation, and we never ask you for payment. CobraScout is paid by the agency that answers, not by you. TTY 711.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, 2024 (released August 2026)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, state layoffs and discharges, July–December 2025
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, median household income
- U.S. Department of Labor, FAQs on COBRA Continuation Health Coverage for Workers