As many Minnesotans know, COBRA is a vital program that allows jobless workers to keep their healthcare as they look for new work. The Recovery Act passed by President Obama at the beginning of his term included a COBRA subsidy through the end of this year, but if we fail to act again, millions of Americans currently looking for work will be faced with a further, unbearable burden—the tripling of their COBRA payments.
I’m pleased that we’re moving towards real national health care reform that will cover more folks and bring down health care costs for families and the federal government. We’ll invest in prevention and provide incentives for doctors to provide high-quality health care.
But while health reform will bring longterm relief, extending COBRA will help us bridge the gap before health reform is fully implemented.
Seven million workers and their families have used the COBRA subsidies in 2009. That includes thousands of Minnesotans. The expiration of the subsidy will make premiums so expensive that many families will be forced to drop their coverage, adding further to the number of uninsured Americans. Now is not the time to put another burden on struggling families.
I’m fighting in the Senate to extend the COBRA subsidy another six months, through June of 2010. By that time, our economy will have made significant progress in job creation, and many Americans will be back on the job. The extension will also include an increase in the subsidy— from 65% to 75%, allowing more families to retain coverage. During this recession, the last thing Congress should do is pull the plug on benefits before folks have had a chance to get back on their feet.
Sen. Al Franken
Washington, D.C.
Leave a Reply