Out of work and looking for health plan

I just lost my job, and I can either sign up to buy the same coverage through COBRA or go into a marketplace plan. COBRA is expensive — $800 a month for me — but I’m worried that anything I buy on the marketplace now might disappear or be unaffordable next year. What’s the best way to go?

You’re in a tough spot. Many insurers that offer coverage on the exchanges are still weighing their options, but a number have announced plans to quit specific markets or states next year.

The uncertainty about whether the federal government will continue to make cost-sharing reduction payments to marketplace insurers is a key factor contributing to instability in the marketplaces, according to insurers and analysts. The Trump administration has threatened to discontinue subsidies to gain leverage in its efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Continuing your employer coverage under the federal law known as COBRA provides more certainty. You can generally keep it for 18 months. You’d have to pay the full premium, so it will likely be much more costly than coverage on the exchange, if you’re eligible for a federal subsidy. People with incomes up to 400 percent of the 2016 federal poverty level (about $47,500 for an individual) can qualify for the ACA’s premium tax credits.

One option is to sign up for COBRA and stick with that through the fall. When the marketplace open-enrollment period begins Nov. 1, check out what’s available in your area. If you see affordable options, switch to marketplace coverage for Jan. 1.