I recently experienced a layoff from my job, and unfortunately, I received no severance package. As of September 30, I lost health insurance for my family and me. Today, I finally got the letter about applying for COBRA, and I have to say, the costs are outrageous. For a family of three, the COBRA premiums are nearly as high as our mortgage, which is more than what I will receive from unemployment benefits. To make matters worse, I can only send payments by mail, which means there's an additional delay before coverage kicks in. I'm not sure if I can qualify for Medicaid, but I plan to explore that option. With a toddler and a wife who has severe mental health issues, being without insurance is not an option. I just needed to vent about how broken the system is, especially how health insurance is tied to employment in this country.