Retiring before 65 is a huge win — until you realize Medicare doesn't start yet. Bridging that gap on your own coverage is one of the most common things I help with. Let's find a plan that carries you comfortably to 65 without wrecking the retirement math.
If you retire at 58, 61, or 63, you've got years to cover before Medicare kicks in at 65. Without an employer plan, that means buying your own coverage — and doing it in a way that fits your retirement income and keeps your doctors. The good news: you have more options than most people realize, and the right one can save you a lot over a few years.
Early retirees often assume COBRA or a full-price plan is the only path. In reality, how you manage retirement income can shape what you qualify for — and a side-by-side comparison usually beats defaulting to the most expensive option.
I'm an independent broker, so I compare ACA marketplace plans and private under-65 coverage and show you the trade-offs in plain English. For early retirees, managing modified adjusted gross income can matter for marketplace subsidies — I'll flag what to discuss with your financial or tax advisor. To be clear: I don't sell Medicare plans. I specialize in the under-65 stretch that gets you to Medicare.
Just left a job to retire early? See COBRA alternatives & coverage gaps →
Coverage built for the exact stretch between early retirement and Medicare — not a plan you'll outgrow in a year.
Many private and marketplace plans use PPO-style networks, so retiring early doesn't have to mean leaving the doctors you trust.
How you draw retirement income can affect marketplace subsidies. I'll flag what to raise with your financial or tax advisor.
I specialize in under-65 coverage, not Medicare. You get honest guidance for the bridge years — and a straight answer when it's time to hand you off at 65.
You buy your own under-65 coverage to bridge the gap. I compare ACA marketplace plans and private plans and help you pick one that fits your retirement income and keeps your doctors, all the way to Medicare at 65.
No — I specialize in private under-65 health insurance, which is exactly the coverage early retirees need before 65. If you're at or near Medicare age, that's outside what I do, and I'll gladly point you to someone who focuses on it.
It can. On the ACA marketplace, your estimated income can affect subsidy eligibility, and how you draw from retirement accounts plays into that. I'm not a financial or tax advisor, but I'll flag what to discuss with yours so you can plan around it.
Sometimes, but it's often the most expensive route because you pay the full premium. I compare COBRA against marketplace and private under-65 plans so you can see whether keeping your old plan is really worth it for the bridge years.
Often, yes. Retiring and losing job-based coverage is generally a qualifying life event that opens a special enrollment window, and many private plans can be applied for year-round.
Retired early and leaving a job plan? Compare your options.
See gap options →Consulting in semi-retirement? Coverage that fits 1099 income.
Explore self-employed →Bridging both of you to Medicare, or a younger spouse longer.
Explore family coverage →Fifteen minutes to talk through your retirement timeline — then a clear set of under-65 options.