I took a nine-week absence from a job years ago at the age of 24. (Too bad it wasn't the Obama era, I wouldn't have to worry!) But my employer, a Fortune 500 company, made if very clear I needed to pay for Cobra ASAP and that I would not be otherwise covered.
Admittedly, I probably could have gone without. Hey, I was 24. But I'm risk averse and my return to the company was not guaranteed. (They took me back.) I've thought of this several times over the years when I've had an emergency appendectomy, a kidney stone that required immediate surgery, and during the last year when I've dealt with injuries from a bad auto accident where the at-fault driver had minimal insurance. Yes, that's more of an auto/PIP and uninsured motorist insurance coverage issue, but still, you'll never catch me uncovered.