COBRA Premium Assistance Extension Looked at by White House
During press briefings last week, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs stated, in answer to questions about employment and job creation, that the White House may be looking at extending COBRA premium assistance past January 1, 2010. Mr. Gibbs stated, "the President -- some of the things the President is talking about there -- obviously there are a number of ideas that have been implemented that are coming to a legislative end, whether it is...extending certain unemployment benefits, whether we're looking at the notion of extending some of the COBRA benefits."
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 set up an assistance package to provide recently unemployed workers up to 65% of COBRA premiums to maintain health insurance. While popular with employees, the imposition of the program created an administrative headache and an unforeseen cost to employers seeking to survive by shedding payroll costs. The legislative subsidy will expire on January 1, 2010.
This means employees laid off after January 1, will not receive the 65% premium subsidy. And, with a 9.8% unemployment rate, this translates into many laid off workers unable to maintain health insurance coverage without some assistance. We'll keep an eye on this and report on any updates.
I am 62 years old and have been without a job now for almost a year. I have actively been looking for a job but have not had any luck.We need an extension added onto Cobra benefits and also a discount to the premium.I can not afford to pay the full amount and in looking outside to private insuance the premiums are a joke!! Please the discount back onto the cobra extension.Thank you
PLEASE EXTEND THE COBRA PREMIUM REDUCTION PAST JANUARY 2010. I am a single lady and was just forced to quit work in Jan 2009 due to a disability and will not be able to return. If my COBRA premium does not remain at the reduced cost I will have to drop my insurance coverage and the cost of my medical bills would be devastating to me and my family. Please extend the premium reduction because I know there are many out there who are suffering just like myself.
Please do a follow up story on this and have CNN shows focus on the need to extend this premium reduction. So many families have only been able to hang onto their homes because of this benefit. This benefit has been such a help and was so easy to sign up for. The modification “help” is a big joke and a waste of anyone’s time. So this really is the only way for some of us to even consider keeping our homes and staying off the streets.