COBRA Subsidy Extension 2010: Congressional Reasoning For Not Passing
By Audrey Howard on August 2, 2010, 8:54 amCOBRA was crucially important to employees and their families that had lost their jobs, and were facing going without health care. While Americans living without health care was labeled by the Obama Administration as one of the most troubling issues in our nation today, workers losing health coverage after being let go by a company only spurs the problem on. The COBRA subsidies provided much needed help to help to former employees and their families. The program allowed workers to sustain health coverage from their former job, and to temporarily continue paying the same price for it, until new more affordable coverage could be found.
COBRA Subsidy Not Extended
Despite landmark health care reform by President Barrack Obama and the 111th United States Congress, the extension of COBRA benefits failed to be pushed through by the administration. COBRA, an important program providing health care to retirees, spouses, former spouses, and children at the group rate they were paying for health care benefits through their employer.
Unfortunately for the common man and his family on Main Street, if their job is terminated, they will either face going without health coverage or paying a higher, more unaffordable price for the well being of their household. In a time where losing jobs and not finding employment is an imminent risk, the COBRA subsidy was just to important to become a political issue and have two opposing sides form on the issue.
The Problem
Both Republicans and Democrats considered the program crucial to constituents around the country, but in the end of extension of the subsidy first passed in 1986 failed to be pushed through. Despite both sides of the aisle sharing a common goal, a solution could not be reached.
The major disagreement was based in how COBRA would be funded. While Democrats wanted to borrow money from foreign sources, Republicans opposed digging the nation further into debt. Instead GOP politicians advocated using funds already allocated to the nations economic recovery. Once again congress failed to find a compromise among themselves, and because of that millions of Americans will be forced to pay the price of higher premiums through their companies.
Related posts:
- Health Care Reform: How COBRA Fits Into Obama’s Plan
- Unemployment Extension Checks: The Latest On COBRA Insurance Subsidy
- Will Cobra Extension Give Relief To The Health Of Unemployed Americans?
- COBRA Subsidy Extension Exclusion Will Cause Real Problems For Jobless
- COBRA Subsidy: Will There Be Anything Like This In The Future
This Gov. is always doing things backwards if it is stupid and going to do anyone anygood they will be sure to kill it in congress. People say vote well who you going to vote for other than lesser of the 2 evils and hope your right cause they are both screwed in the head!! I want to know what difference it makes what the republicans think last I heard democrats was large and incharge, Sure was the the story when that health care bill was passed what a joke, gov takes over health care and in no other time in history are so many people going to be with out health care Now dont that sound about right, They want us all on our knees infront of them begging them for every crumb they choose to throw our way. I’m so sick of it I could scream. They are going to keep on pushing us til we will stand up and throw them out but it may not be with a vote !! we will look like a 3rd world country the all the hell we will raise !! We have become passive and had it good for to long Still drinking the koolade We are to young to remember where we have come from and how hard we worked to get here, This is a selfish generation and consumed with childish self centerd things but this is our wake up call and I do believe we are made out of much more than we even realize at the moment. The things that are coming that this generation is going to have to face (provided the lords tarries) This gov. is going to get a rude awakening!! But we will have to have our rude awakening first!!!