Same exact scenario here, except a kidney problem. It was a nightmare to get back into coverage and required ultimately working for a large company.

Since that happened I've always thought the lack of universal healthcare was a major cultural lever against entrepreneurship and small business ownership, because stable healthcare coverage is probably the number one draw of working a corporate job. It seems so culturally odd to me that employment and healthcare are so linked in the U.S.

Unfortunately I think some people don't understand how existentially frightening it is to get a bunch of rejection letters from insurance companies until it happens to them.