ONE OF THE hardest things about leaving a job is walking away from the benefits package. Once you're out on your own — whether you're starting your own business, working for a small employer that offers no coverage or suddenly find yourself among the ranks of the unemployed — the reality is the same: You must cough up a lot of dough for what will feel like inferior health coverage. Before you start your search, brace yourself. The private health-insurance market isn't pretty. "It's a difficult, difficult road to go down," says Kathleen Stoll, Director of Health Policy for consumer-advocacy group Families USA.
