Reply #19: If we had single payer COBRA would go away on its own.

[Gormy Cuss]

COBRA is better than what existed before in that we as workers have the right to keep the same group coverage for eighteen months, but worse in that pre-COBRA employer-provided plans often had 30 days of coverage after termination without paying the employer's contribution.

Pre-COBRA I had only an expensive catastrophic plan option after leaving employment and I considered my self lucky to get that. After COBRA went into effect I had a one year period where I paid the exorbitant premiums in order to hold onto the coverage because it was still cheaper than the nongroup plans that I found out there.

IMHO COBRA was a good idea poorly executed. Rather than tying it to existing employer coverage it should be a guarantee of median group plan benefits and co-pays for unemployed workers, but that would be a lot like a national health plan.