Pre-65 Health Insurance in Brighton, CO

What to know before you choose

For most early retirees the choice is between COBRA, which lets you keep your employer plan for a limited time at the full cost plus a small fee, a spouse's employer plan, and an individual ACA plan through Connect for Health Colorado. Leaving a job plan is a qualifying life event, so you have a Special Enrollment Period, usually 60 days, to choose an ACA plan even outside Open Enrollment.

Income planning is the lever. ACA tax credits are based on modified adjusted gross income, which in retirement depends on what you choose to draw: pension income, IRA withdrawals and capital gains count; money you take from savings you already paid tax on usually does not. Under the 2026 rules there is no federal credit above 400% of the poverty level, which for 2026 coverage is $84,600 for a couple and $62,600 for one person (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-25, 2025 poverty guidelines). A few thousand dollars of extra income near that line can cost far more in lost credit, so I want to see your plan before December.

A worked example, as an estimate. A couple aged 62 with $60,000 of income in 2026 is expected to pay about 9.46% of income, roughly $473 a month, toward the benchmark Silver plan; the credit covers the rest of that benchmark premium. Premiums for people in their early sixties are among the highest in the individual market, so the credit can be large. If the same couple drew enough extra to pass the 400% line, the whole credit would disappear for that year.

The cliff in dollars. For 2026 coverage, a couple with household income of $84,600 is still at 400% of the poverty level and can get a credit; at $84,601 they get none at all. For 2027 coverage the line moves to $86,560 for a couple and $63,840 for one person (2026 HHS poverty guidelines). One extra dollar of income can cost the full credit for the year. And from tax year 2026 any excess advance credit is repaid in full, with no cap (IRS), so the estimate matters.

Where the money comes from matters as much as how much. Pension income, traditional IRA and 401(k) withdrawals, taxable interest and capital gains raise modified adjusted gross income. Qualified Roth IRA withdrawals are generally not taxable, and HSA money spent on qualified medical costs is tax free, so neither usually adds to it, and cash from savings you already paid tax on does not either. Your tax advisor confirms the details; I show what each choice does to the premium.

COBRA, in numbers you can check. Your former employer can charge you the entire premium, up to 102% of what the plan costs (U.S. Department of Labor), and no tax credit applies to it. Ask HR for the monthly COBRA rate, then compare it with the net premium of a Connect for Health Colorado plan after your credit, and with each plan's deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. Remember that choosing COBRA and then dropping it voluntarily does not by itself open a Special Enrollment Period.

What I check for you: your retirement date and income plan for each year until 65, which accounts you will draw from and when, the COBRA rate against marketplace plans after credits, your doctors and prescriptions in each plan, and the dates that link it all to Medicare. I take a commonsense approach: I ask questions, listen to your answers, and only then recommend the type of policies that will fit your unique needs.

Questions to ask me: How much income can we draw next year and keep our credit? Is COBRA or a marketplace plan cheaper for us after credits? Which of our doctors are in which plans? What happens when the older spouse turns 65? When should I start Medicare paperwork?

Plan for 65 from day one. Your ACA plan does not stop by itself when Medicare starts; you cancel it once Medicare is in place, and premium tax credits generally end once you are eligible for premium-free Part A. Your Medicare Initial Enrollment Period starts three months before your 65th birthday month, and your Medigap guaranteed window opens when Part B starts. I map those dates with you at the start, so the switch is a non-event.

If one spouse turns 65 first, the younger spouse usually stays on (or moves to) an ACA plan alone, and the household credit is recalculated. That is a common moment for surprises, and a good time to call me.

Your needs and situation are unique, and I am committed to spending the time to get to know you so you get coverage and support that fits your lifestyle.

Colorado rules to know

Colorado runs its own marketplace, Connect for Health Colorado. Open Enrollment for 2027 is November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, with December 15 the deadline for a January 1 start (Connect for Health Colorado).

Colorado Premium Assistance continues for 2027 and Colorado Option plans offer $0 primary care and mental health visits; average individual premiums rise 10% for 2027 (Colorado DOI, September 22, 2026).

If your income drops low enough, Health First Colorado may cover you instead, and I will tell you if your numbers point that way.

How and when to enroll

1. Six months before your last day of work, call me with your expected retirement date, income sources and doctors.
2. Compare COBRA, a spouse's plan and Connect for Health Colorado plans side by side on total cost, not just premium.
3. Enroll within your Special Enrollment window after the job plan ends, or at Open Enrollment, November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027.
4. Each fall, estimate next year's income with me and with your tax advisor, and update Connect for Health Colorado when it changes.
5. Three months before your 65th birthday month, start Medicare and line up the end date of your ACA plan.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Taking a large IRA withdrawal or selling investments in the same year you rely on a tax credit.
• Assuming COBRA is the only option. It is often the most expensive way to keep the same coverage.
• Keeping an ACA plan with a tax credit after you become eligible for Medicare.
• Waiting until the last week of a Special Enrollment window to start comparing plans.

How Lisa helps

• COBRA, spouse plan and Connect for Health Colorado plans compared on total yearly cost
• Income and tax credit estimates for the year you retire and each year after
• Doctor, hospital and prescription checks before you choose
• A timeline to Medicare, including your Initial Enrollment Period and Medigap window
• Help when one spouse reaches Medicare before the other
• An annual review each Open Enrollment until your Medicare starts

Who it fits

You or your spouse are retiring or leaving a job before 65, you have a pension, savings or part-time work to live on, and you want health coverage that fits your income plan until Medicare begins.