I just got laid off. What should I do about health insurance?
If your employer provided health insurance and the company has more than 20 employees, you’re probably eligible to continue your employer’s health insurance benefits under COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) for up to 18 months. You’ll be responsible for paying the entire premium yourself plus an administrative fee (up to 2 percent). Ask your benefits or human resources personnel about COBRA. If you know that you’ll be covered by a new employer’s plan in a short time, you may want to consider a short-term medical plan instead of COBRA.