Well, it appears from all indications that the COBRA subsidy will not be extended further. Yesterday, in a test vote, the Senate fell 15 votes short of cutting off debate for a jobs bill that extends unemployment, delays the 21% decrease in Medicare payments to doctors, and extends aid to states for Medicaid costs due to the recession. The COBRA subsidy wasn't even in it. Now, the Senate is going to cut the bill further to satisfy the deficit hawks in their own party, as well as a couple of moderate Republicans, in an effort to get something done.
This is a disaster. I'm already getting calls from people who can't afford their COBRA premiums without the subsidy, and if they don't exhaust their COBRA, they will not be "HIPAA eligible" for a health insurance policy that will cover their pre-existing condition.
Does it really make sense to be driven by the deficit to increase the ranks of the uninsured by hundreds of thousands of people? I say no way.
But it's not over 'til it's over, so please contact your member of Congress today. For contact information for the House, go here. For the Senate, go here. If you want a template for what to say, see below, back about a week ago. Jennifer
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