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Covered between contracts
Gap rulesCOBRA60-day window
Between contracts

Six weeks off? Do not go uninsured for it.

The time between contracts is when travelers most often end up uninsured, usually without realizing it until a bill shows up. Here is how gaps happen, and the cheapest clean way across one.

How agency gap rules work and what to ask your recruiter before you sign
COBRA versus a Marketplace plan versus a private nationwide PPO plan for a gap
A short checklist so your last shift and your next start date line up
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By Erik Moran, licensed health insurance broker (NPN 20970092) · Updated October 14, 2026
How gaps happen

Your agency decides when coverage stops

Quick answer

When an assignment ends, agency coverage usually ends with it, either on your last day, at the end of that week or at the end of that month. Many agencies keep you covered through a short gap only if your next contract is with them. Once coverage ends you have 60 days to pick a Marketplace plan, you can elect COBRA, or, if you are healthy, you can apply for a private plan any month.

Ask your recruiter four questions before you sign: when coverage starts on the new contract, when it ends after the last shift, how long a gap the agency will cover, and whether that depends on staying with them. Get the answers in writing. Canceled contracts and early terminations happen, and a canceled contract can end coverage sooner than you planned.

Bridging it

Three ways across a gap

COBRA

If the agency has 20 or more employees, COBRA lets you keep the same plan. You have 60 days after the notice to elect it, and coverage is retroactive to the day the agency plan ended. That makes it a useful backstop: if nothing happens during a short gap, you may not need to elect it at all. If something does, you elect and pay. You pay the full premium plus up to a 2% fee.

A Marketplace plan

Losing agency coverage opens a 60-day special enrollment period. Coverage generally starts the first of the next month, so time it to begin the day after agency coverage ends. If your income for the year is under the subsidy line, a tax credit can make this the cheapest bridge.

Your own private plan

If you take gaps every year, the cleanest fix is often to stop relying on agency coverage at all. A private plan on a nationwide PPO network stays in force through every gap, agency and state. You decline agency medical coverage instead.

The plain truth about private plans: the nationwide PPO plans we quote are private, medically underwritten plans, not Marketplace plans. A nationwide network means in-network doctors and hospitals in many states; it does not mean every service is covered. You answer health questions, and the carrier can decline you or exclude a condition. These plans are not ACA-compliant: depending on the plan, prescriptions, maternity, mental health and other benefits can be limited or left out, some benefits have dollar maximums, and out-of-network care costs more. We walk through exactly what a plan pays before you apply, and if a Marketplace plan fits you better, we tell you that too.
Checklist

Before your last shift

  1. Confirm the exact date agency coverage ends, in writing.
  2. Confirm when coverage starts on your next contract, and whether there is a waiting period.
  3. Count the days in between. If it is longer than the agency's gap limit, plan a bridge now.
  4. Refill prescriptions and schedule routine care while you are still covered.
  5. Keep the COBRA notice. Even if you plan to skip COBRA, it is your safety net for 60 days.

Over or under the 2027 subsidy line?

Self-employed and 1099 income is counted after expenses. Our free calculator shows which side of the 400% line you land on in about a minute, with results right away and no sign-up.

Run the subsidy cliff calculator →
Questions

Questions we hear most

Do I have insurance between travel nurse contracts?

Only if your agency covers the gap. Many cover short gaps if your next contract is with them, but rules vary and coverage often ends at the end of the assignment.

Is COBRA worth it for a short gap?

COBRA is retroactive if you elect it within 60 days, so for a short gap you can often wait and only elect it if you need care. For longer or repeated gaps, a Marketplace or private plan is usually cheaper.

Does losing agency insurance let me enroll in a Marketplace plan?

Yes. Losing job-based coverage is a qualifying life event, and you have 60 days to pick a plan.

Sources

Checked October 14, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm before you act.

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