# COBRA

*Retirement & Benefits — Finicade finance glossary*

COBRA lets you keep an employer health plan after leaving a job, typically for 18 months, by paying the full premium yourself plus an administration fee. The shock is the price: you now pay the employer's share too, so a plan that cost $150 a month can cost $700. It's often worth comparing against a marketplace plan, where subsidies based on your now-lower income can make coverage substantially cheaper.

**Also known as:** COBRA continuation coverage, health insurance continuation

**Related terms:** [Medicare](https://finicade.com/glossary/medicare), [Health Savings Account (HSA)](https://finicade.com/glossary/health-savings-account), [Severance Pay](https://finicade.com/glossary/severance-pay), [Insurance Premium](https://finicade.com/glossary/insurance-premium), [Flexible Spending Account (FSA)](https://finicade.com/glossary/flexible-spending-account)

Source: https://finicade.com/glossary/cobra