[richlevy]

Well, here's a heartwarming story to add to the debate. So the company's explanation is that they're doing him a favor by firing him and putting him on the path to SSDI, except that he would probably be bankrupt paying for his healthcare waiting for SSDI and I don't believe it would help his family.

I'm also not sure if COBRA would pick up the continuing care for his gunshot wound, a pre-existing condition.

If we had national health care, this wouldn't be an issue.

BTW, with tort reform, there's a chance that he wouldn't even be able to sue his employer.

Cary, N.C. — An employee at The HoneyBaked Ham Co. store in Cary who was shot while on the job is now without a job.

An employee for three years and general manager for 16 months, the husband and father was shot in the stomach – about four inches from his heart.
Several surgeries later, he's still unable to go back to work. Doctors tell him that the earliest he could return to work would be in December.
Huether has been on worker's compensation since April. When the benefits expired, he received an official notice that HoneyBaked Ham terminated his employment and canceled health benefits for him and his family.
Out-of-pocket, he said, those benefits would cost about $1,200 a month.

Maggie DeCan, vice president of human resources, said the decision to terminate his employment had to do with following workers' compensation rules and that his release could make him eligible for Social Security disability benefits.
"We are a value-serving company," DeCan said in a statement. "We do the right thing and serve others. We couldn't feel any worse for Rich, and we would do anything we could for him."
The company, she also said, hasn't ruled out rehiring Huether once he is able to work again. Executives also plan to revisit the case next week to see if there is anything further the company can do.