What health coverage options do I have between leaving a W-2 job and starting freelancing?

You have three main bridges. COBRA lets you keep your former employer's exact plan for up to 18 months, but you pay the full premium plus a small fee, which is often expensive. The ACA marketplace treats losing job coverage as a qualifying event, opening a 60-day special enrollment window where you may get income-based subsidies that make it cheaper than COBRA. A spouse's employer plan may also let you join within a set window after you lose coverage. Short-term plans exist but skip essential benefits and can deny pre-existing conditions. For most new freelancers, checking marketplace subsidies first beats defaulting to COBRA. Don't let coverage lapse, since a gap leaves you exposed to catastrophic bills.