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Provide health care to the newly unemployed

As part of the economic recovery package, please provide COBRA subsidies to unemployed workers. 

Thanks to the economic crisis, there are currently over 11 million unemployed.  Many of these people lost not only their job, but their employer sponsored health insurance. Some Americans have the option of buying COBRA -- but even that is unaffordable because it takes up a disproportionate amount of unemployment benefits. Nationally, unemployed workers would need to spend nearly 84 percent of their unemploymnet insurance benefit, on average, to pay for family coverage.  If people don't take up COBRA, they are forced into the unregulated private market where many will likely be denied based on pre-existing conditions. This catch-22 has forced newly unemployed into a difficult position that no American should have to face. 

COBRA subsidies as part of the economic recovery package would help the recently unemployed get health care, so they are not forced into the private market or into greater financial debt because of medical bills. Losing economic security should not mean losing health care security. 
7 Comments  »  Posted by JPE1 to Health Care on 1/12/2009 8:09 AM

Comments
 
HomeAlone
1/12/2009 11:12 AM
We need to separate health care coverage from jobs!  As unemployment rises, so will the number of Americans with no health insurance.  Additionally, the situation does not encourage people to change jobs when they should, for varying reasons.  Commuting time could be a reason, or a chronic illness in a family member, or just plain dissatisfaction.  

 
Tillie
1/12/2009 11:54 AM
Health care insurance and employment should NOT be linked together. 

Health is personal -- regardless of un/employment.

Health insurance should not be based on an employers "preferred provider." 

Health care and  insurance are "BIG BUSINESS" and they want to keep it that way.   Their voices are as loud as any labor unions. 

It is long over-due to emphasize and acknowledge prevention, annual check-ups, and those who have adopted a healthy lifestyle.   Providers and insurers are not keen on those with good health; don't make money on us and we subsidize those who require more services.   I don't mind paying for someone to get medical necessary service, but I would like, at least, to get annual tests to monitor and maintain health.

COBRA is totally unrealistic.  Unemployed have more expenses with less funds and certainly are not willing to spend funds on insurance for "potential" medical need.  If not needed, to the unemployed that is wasted money.   COBRA is limited to 18 months and usually any problems occur beyond 18 months.  Sometimes COBRA does not want to pay for eligible dental work and fight to get out of  paying.  It can be a challenge to deal with former employer and insurer after employment terminates -- voluntary or involuntary.

Example: 
Employed:  all my life. 
Health:  Excellent -- no surgeries, broken bones, diseases, et cetera.  Only used health insurance for monitoring health/disease prevention.
Currently:  Retired (early) 
Health Insurance:   None  (Only want for annual check-up/test)
Health Providers:  Have yet to locate provider willing to perform "preventive" tests" with "cash for professional services."



 
bobcb
1/12/2009 1:35 PM
Don't link health insurance to unemployment.  A single-payer system will fix this problem at far less overall cost; let's not  do anything that delays or detracts from implementing a Medicare-for-all plan to cover all U.S. citizens.
 
steve
1/12/2009 5:41 PM
agree with everything said above to the tenth power
 
Kevin J. Kauth
1/12/2009 9:13 PM
I disagree with the solution although I agree that this is a problem.  The answer is not in subsidies which throws money at a problem that wont go away but fixing the problem that demands the subsidies.  That is instead I support government action that reduces healthcare costs or create an economy with more jobs.  
 
Pat_H
1/13/2009 1:33 PM

Granted we need big changes that go beyond the COBRA benefit, increasing subsidies for COBRA quickly would benefit many recently unemployed people who are uninsured or under-insured.  For example, my brother-in-law was laid off shortly after his cancer treatment ended and had to drop out of COBRA because he couldn't afford the $550/month premium.  Now he has to pay out of pocket or go without care to determine if he has a recurrence of cancer.  Later, perhaps people enrolled in COBRA could shift to the public insurance alternative that President-Elect Obama has proposed - a central component of health insurance reform.  These longer term changes are going to take time, though, and short term changes such as subsidizing COBRA, could help uninsured people right away if included in the stimulus package.

 
jb510
1/13/2009 4:59 PM
It's too late for this proposal now.  The commenters above are right, END EMPLOYER INVOLVEMENT in health care.  Health Insurance and employement never should have been allowed to get so intertwined in the first place (blame wage controls way back when).
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