Whoa!! The recovery bill is going to help pay for COBRA insurance!!!

[LSK]

Providing Health Insurance for Unemployed Workers

* As millions of people are losing their jobs in this recession, they are also losing their health insurance. This bill has two provisions to help maintain health insurance coverage during this downturn.
* COBRA currently provides temporary coverage for workers between jobs, but it is expensive. A typical family premium on COBRA is over $1,000 a month. To help people maintain their health coverage, the bill provides a 65% subsidy for COBRA premiums for up to 12 months for people who were involuntarily separated from their jobs between 9/1/08 and 12/31/09.
* Recognizing that not all workers are eligible for COBRA, the bill also provides states the temporary option of offering coverage to unemployed workers through their Medicaid programs, with the federal government matching 100 percent of the costs of benefits and administration
* Those two provisions are estimated by the Joint Committee on Taxation and CBO as providing health insurance coverage to more than 8 million people.
* The bill also provides that COBRA-eligible workers who are 55 or older, or have worked for an employer for 10 years or more, can extend their COBRA coverage, at their own expense and with no federal cost, until they become Medicare-eligible at age 65 or secure coverage through a subsequent employer.

http://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/legislation?id=0273#health

[BlooInBloo]

1. Um, that's *good* isn't it?

[ima_sinnic]

2. still nothing for self-employed people, eh?

I'm 62, self-employed, & uninsured. Just knocking on wood that no major problems will happen anytime soon. Major? Hell, I can't afford to see a doctor for any reason.

[LSK]

4. well there is this...

Provides $1.5 billion for community health centers, including $500 million to provide quality health care to more uninsured Americans and $1 billion to renovate clinics.

http://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/legislation?id=0273#health

[ima_sinnic]

5. we'll see ... (nt)

[kestrel91316]

14. Community health centers in LA are pretty much reserved for

people with children, unemployed, homeless, people on welfare. We working self-employed are SOL if we have ANY assets at all. Like a struggling business.

[mdavies013]

7. With you there...I had to cancel my policy to make ends meet...luckily my wife and kids are covered.

Universal Health Care...Please.

[taught_me_patience]

3. This is good for layed off workers

And really really good for the health insurance companies. Bad for the taxpayer.

[razors edge]

6. Sounds like the insurance companies

have now wallowed up to the trough.

I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later.

Only the government can afford their helping hand anymore.

[LSK]

8. how many people have been laid off in the past few months???

How about a little compassion for them???

:grr:

[razors edge]

12. Perhaps you misunderstood me.

I want universal care now. We spend more in taxes to insure the Police, Firefighters, government employees, the military, the retired, the indigent, Medicare, Medicaid, and everyone else without coverage than Canada pays to cover everyone.

This is just the Insurance Companies way to scam a buck in the short term and let us continue to see people going bankrupt in the mean time.

[LSK]

13. I want Single Payer as much as anyone

However there is the REALITY that I was laid off 3 weeks ago and Single Payer is not coming next month.

Small steps.

[razors edge]

15. The reality is

simple and very disturbing. No politician will do what is right if it endangers their political career. Less than 10% of them really give a shit about the destitute, and they will never chair a comity that could change any of it, it just isn't allowed.

You might think me heartless, but I am not the one refusing to change the system. That would be the so called leaders we supposedly elected.

The left has championed and won elections on single payer, the right with reform. We got neither, and now some tax money going to the Insurance Industry that will most likely never trickle down to anyone you or I know is supposed to make me think we are on our way to a better tomorrow, I don't think so.

[PeaceNikki]

9. A 65% subsidy still won't be enough to allow most to afford

[LSK]

10. it would make it much closer in price to private insurance

While allowing people to keep their doctors and most likely better benefits of their employers plan.

[PeaceNikki]

11. For comperable coverage, yeah. And people with chroic conditions will have to make it work

I had catastrophic temporary coverage only when I was unemployed for a few months 6 years ago. It was all I could afford.

:(

I think it's a step in the right direction, but we need to work for better options for everyone.