Lapse in coverage, from NJ

[freckles23]

Travel RN from NJ. I heard NJ is a pesky state when it comes to health insurance. U get fined for not being covered. Looking for advice for anyone with info on the matter.

Everyone always says get private health insurance, but for NJ, you can only get care in NJ (EPOs). So if im traveling out of state and only visit NJ 30 days a year, im paying for health insurance that I cant use on the go and while on assignment. So I've resorted to agency insurance. So when I end a contract and don't have another lined up in a month, I lose the insurance. I understand I can sign up with COBRA but say I become uninsured end of assignment, and need to go to urgent care or see a Dr, do I just pay out of pocket? Will they even look at me if im not insured? It would probably be cheaper than paying for COBRA. And I understand if something castastrophic happens within 60 days of no coverage, its retroactive which then I would pay for cobra but if I don't sign up for cobra, go to the ER for some big event and they ask me about my insurance, do I say im uninsured but that im going to sign up for cobra? How does that work exactly? Im confused!