This is the reason for long term disability insurance at your job in addition to the health insurance. It is usually offered but does have some contribution necessary from the employee as well as the employer.
This insurance takes over usually after 60 days and covers medical expenses as well as lost income at usually about 60% of your pay (non taxable, BTW).
I absolutely believe in long-term disability insurance, and have worked with the product for years. It is often overlooked by people in doing their financial planning. (Have my own individual policy purchased in 1993, in addition to employer LTD coverage.)
From what I can gather, his actual income is being replaced by the worker’s comp coverage, but he did not anticipate the increase in health insurance premium, due to being forced to the COBRA rates. I think part of the problem is that he is a county employee, in a small county. It seems like larger municipal jurisdictions would have more comprehensive benefits for this type of situation.