You should cancel a deceased person’s health insurance as soon as possible after the death, ideally within 30 days. There is no benefit to keeping coverage active, and delays can mean continued premium charges that are harder to recover later. The exact steps depend on whether the person had Medicare, a Marketplace plan, employer coverage, or a private policy, but the goal is the same: notify the insurer promptly so coverage terminates on the date of death and any overpaid premiums are refunded.
Why Timing Matters
Health insurance premiums don’t stop automatically when someone dies. If premiums are being deducted from a bank account, Social Security check, or pension, those charges will continue until someone reports the death. The longer you wait, the more overpayment accumulates. While refunds for post-death premiums are generally available, getting that money back adds another task to an already overwhelming process.
For dependents and spouses on the same plan, timing matters for a different reason. Canceling the deceased person’s coverage can trigger eligibility changes that affect everyone else on the policy. Reporting the death promptly gives surviving family members more time to explore their options for new or continued coverage.
Medicare Coverage
Medicare coverage ends the month the person dies. You don’t need to call Medicare separately if Social Security has already been notified of the death, which typically happens when a funeral home reports it. Social Security will coordinate with Medicare to stop the coverage.
If premiums were deducted for any months after the death, CMS is required by law to refund those excess premiums. The refund goes first to whoever paid the premiums. If the enrollee paid them, the refund goes to their estate’s representative. When no estate representative exists, refunds follow a priority order: surviving spouse living in the same household, then children receiving Social Security benefits on the same earnings record, then parents on the same record, then more distant family. If none of these relatives survive, no refund is issued.
Marketplace (ACA) Plans
If the deceased was enrolled through HealthCare.gov or a state marketplace, the process depends on who is reporting the death. If you were the original application filer, you can start the cancellation online through HealthCare.gov and then call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 to report the actual date of death. This step is important: without the phone call, the system will only terminate coverage going forward from the date you make the change online, not retroactively to the date of death.
If you were not the original application filer but were included in the household on the initial application and are at least 18, you can also report the death by phone. If you fall outside both of those categories, you’ll need to mail documentation of the death to:
Health Insurance Marketplace
ATTN: Coverage Removal
Dept. of Health and Human Services
465 Industrial Blvd.
London, KY 40750-0001
Once the Marketplace processes the termination, the insurer is instructed to make it effective as of the date of death, not the date you called. The Marketplace will also conduct a redetermination of eligibility for any remaining household members on the plan. That means surviving family members may see changes to their premium tax credits based on updated income and household size. These changes can also qualify remaining members for a special enrollment period to switch plans if needed.
Employer-Sponsored Plans
When someone with employer health coverage dies, the employer is responsible for notifying the plan administrator within 30 days. In most cases, you should contact the deceased person’s HR department or benefits office as soon as you can. They will handle the plan-level paperwork.
The critical thing to know here is what happens to dependents. The death of the covered employee is a “qualifying event” under COBRA, which means the surviving spouse and dependent children become eligible for continuation coverage. COBRA lets them stay on the same group health plan, typically for up to 36 months, though they’ll pay the full premium (the employer’s share plus their own) plus a small administrative fee. This buys time to find other coverage, but it is expensive, so it’s worth exploring Marketplace options simultaneously since losing employer coverage also qualifies survivors for a special enrollment period there.
Federal Employee (FEHB) Plans
Federal employees’ family coverage has its own rules. If the deceased was enrolled in a self-and-family plan and a monthly survivor annuity or Basic Employee Death Benefit is payable to the surviving spouse, the spouse and eligible dependents can continue on the same FEHB plan indefinitely.
If no survivor benefit is payable, the family gets a 31-day extension of coverage at no cost. During that window, covered family members can exercise a conversion right to switch to an individual policy. For self-plus-one enrollments, only the designated eligible family member can continue as a survivor annuitant. Anyone else covered under that enrollment would need to find alternative coverage. If the deceased had self-only coverage, survivors have no eligibility for FEHB benefits at all.
What Documents You’ll Need
Regardless of the type of insurance, you should have several certified copies of the death certificate on hand. Most insurers and plan administrators will require at least one. For Marketplace plans, this documentation is specifically required if you’re not the original application filer. For employer plans, HR will tell you exactly what they need, but a death certificate is almost always part of it.
If you’re acting on behalf of the estate, some insurers may also ask for letters testamentary or letters of administration from the probate court. These prove you have legal authority to manage the deceased person’s affairs. Having both documents ready before you make calls will speed the process considerably.
Getting Premium Refunds
You are generally entitled to a refund for any premiums paid covering time after the date of death. For Medicare, CMS handles this automatically once the death is reported, following the family priority order described above. For Marketplace and private plans, the insurer should prorate and refund once the termination is backdated to the date of death.
If premiums were on autopay, cancel the payment method as soon as possible to prevent additional charges. Check bank statements in the weeks following to confirm no further deductions occur. If overpayments have already been made, contact the insurer directly to request the refund and keep a record of every call, including the representative’s name and any case or reference number. Refunds can take several billing cycles to process, so follow up if you haven’t received one within 60 days.
Protecting Dependents During the Transition
The most common mistake families make is canceling the deceased’s coverage without realizing it also cancels coverage for a spouse or children on the same plan. Before you initiate any cancellation, confirm whether dependents are covered and what their options are. For employer plans, that means asking about COBRA. For Marketplace plans, that means letting the Marketplace conduct its redetermination so surviving members can be re-enrolled, potentially with adjusted subsidies.
Surviving family members typically qualify for a special enrollment period of 60 days from the date of the qualifying event, giving them time to enroll in a new Marketplace plan outside of open enrollment. Don’t let this window close while dealing with other estate matters. Even if the final decision on coverage takes time, starting an application preserves your options.