One of the most under-explained parts of getting laid off: your health insurance options. The decision often costs people $1,500-$5,000 if they pick wrong.
COBRA: continue your employer's plan, but you pay the full premium (employer share + employee share + 2% admin). For a typical family plan, that's $1,800-2,800/month. Pros: same doctors, same plan, no deductible reset, no enrollment gap. Cons: expensive.
ACA Marketplace: buy individual coverage on healthcare.gov. Job loss triggers a Special Enrollment Period (60 days from termination). Premiums often $400-1,200/month for similar coverage. Subsidies are available based on your projected income for the year, and post-layoff your projected income is usually low, so subsidies often cover 50-80% of premium.
The smart move most people miss: apply for ACA coverage during your COBRA-decision window (you have 60 days to decide on COBRA, retroactive to termination date). If you find good ACA coverage, take it and skip COBRA. If ACA options are bad in your state, elect COBRA retroactively and you'll still be covered for any medical events in the gap.
State edge cases: some states (CA, NY, WA) have richer subsidies than others. Check your state-specific exchange before the federal site.