Sestak urging action on COBRA extension
Posted on 10 November 2009
Permanent URL of this article: http://retirementrevised.com/money/sestak-urging-action-on-cobra-extension
Mark Miller
Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pennsylvania), says he plans to urge House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to take up the issue of extending the federal subsidy of COBRA health insurance benefits. Via Bloomberg.
Under the original subsidy passed earlier this year, the government provides a 65 percent subsidy of COBRA benefits for nine months for people who lost their jobs between Sept. 1, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2009. Sestak has introduced a bill in the House calling for an extension; a similar bill was introduced in the Senate by Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Robert Casey (D-Pennsylvania.
November 11th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
The COBRA as pertaining to the 2009 stimulus package has helped me & my husband greatly. He was laid off from his job of 30 years a few days before his 62nd birthday. We are not eligible for medicare yet and most likely would have used most of our retirement savings for health care.
We are now both working part time jobs and not worrying about
depleting our savings. Before the lay off, our annual income was under $50,000. Our annual health care bill would have been over $13,000 if it weren’t for the COBRA subsidy.
November 11th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
The COBRA as pertaining to the 2009 stimulus package has helped me & my husband greatly. He was terminated from his job in printing after 30 years a few days before his 62nd birthday. We are not yet eligible for medicare and most likely would have used most of our retirement savings for health care.
Our annual income was under $50,000. Our annual health care bill would have been over $12,000 if it wasn’t for COBRA.
Thank you for your continued interest in extending this bill.
November 19th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
When my company downsized in April, 2009, I lost my job and I am still looking for employment. I will not be able to afford my health insurance if the subsidized cobra healthcare is not continued.
I am not eligible for Medicare and. without a job, I cannot meet the almost $600 monthly healthcare premiums.
I urge our legistlators to continue the subsidized cobra healthcare so that those of us who are looking for employment can have affordable continued coverage until we are again gainfully employed.
Thank you.
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Please instead encourage REAL health care reform - tax code should favor INDIVIDUAL purchase of health insurance rather than corporate - so much pain is due to people losing jobs/health coverage at the same time (what if your HOUSING were tied to your job? Why is housing so different than health insurance?) b) allow purchase of health insurance across state lines - radically increasing choices available; c) serious tort reform - reducing defensive medicine and related costs.