Losing employer insurance, where should I look? after 13 years as a line cook

My employer coverage ended at the end of the month and I am trying to work out what to do as a line cook. I would rather hear the honest version than the polite one. I do not want a gap in coverage.

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 13 months ago, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.