>Do you still have coverage if you get laid off?
Yeah, no, that's not the same thing at all. As a Canadian I have health coverage I can, y'know, live with regardless of whether I'm employed or not. And buying coverage in the US (with a pre-existing condition) was absolutely not worth it (even considering the wage gap) when I entertained a few offers in the early oughts.
Staying here means I have substantially better freedom of movement and negotiating power. In the US the "freedom" to not have healthcare just seems to mean that everyone has the "freedom" to pay more - and often for less.
Are there other systems aside from Cobra that pick up where Cobra doesn’t? E.g for bankruptcy , companies smaller than 20 employees?