Unemployed Hope Cobra Subsidy Gets Extended

The NY Times looks at how the end of a federal subsidy to help the unemployed cover Cobra insurance costs may result in people dropping health insurance. For one Queens resident, who was laid off from her job last year, "it reduced her monthly insurance premium to $135.93 from $388.37," but now, paying the full amount, will force her to take out money from her 401K. The Times notes, "From March through November, the federal government picked up 65 percent of the cost. But the subsidy lasts for only nine months and will not be available to people who lose their jobs after Dec. 31, unless Congress extends it. On Wednesday, the House approved a six-month extension, and the bill now goes to the Senate."

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By Jen Chung in News on December 17, 2009 11:44 AM

Comments [rss]

MissPinkKate

Ugh, my eyes read this headline as "Coba Subsidy Gets Extended" and I was so excited for a minute. January is my last month of the subsidized premium, and I don't know what I'm going to do after that.

inoyourider

How about getting a job?

ides_of_march

Bring in some real tort reform now and health care costs and insurance will come down across the board. It wasn't that long ago that you could just see a doctor without a bunch of referrals, CYA tests and papers to fill out. You just dealt with the doctor directly and his bill was reasonable. With this so-called health care bill, we are simply replacing one very expensive bureaucratic middleman for another federal version, except this one has the intimidation power of the IRS behind it.

"You think health care is expensive now, wait till it's free." - PJ O'Rourke

Kojak

"On Wednesday, the House approved a six-month extension, and the bill now goes to the Senate."

So whats the big deal? Its most definitely going to pass. The Republicans wouldn't dare block it.