Help us reach our goal of 100,000 signatures by signing our petition
The COBRA Stimulus Plan - Halfway to Hope
On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 which contains a provision to help struggling families pay for their COBRA benefits. The plan reduces COBRA premiums by 65% and provides the recently unemployed with the ability to re-enroll in COBRA if they failed to sign-up initially, or signed-up but let their coverage lapse.
Unfortunately, the plan is only valid for people who were involuntarily terminated between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009. While the government and Wall Street acknowledge that the recessionactually began at the end of 2007acknowledge that the recession began in December of 2007, those terminated prior to September 1, 2008 receive no assistance at all.
In addition, the 65% subsidy only lasts 9 months. Those who are relying on COBRA to bridge the 18 month gap between their former employers insurance and their state's high risk insurance pools are left to fend for themselves after 9 months.
Failure to provide assistance to those who lost their jobs prior to the arbitrary date of September 1, 2008 is unjust. Failure to provide coverage for a full 18 months to those with pre-existing conditions, who are only half way to a permanent and reliable solution, is unwise.
Join us in asking Congress and the Obama administration to eliminate the arbitrary September 1, 2008 cut-off date and 9 month limitation of assistance by signing our petition. We will be sending the petition to Congress and the Obama administration on March 31, 2009.
In the meantime, I will be searching for alternatives to Cobra and posting my findings on this website. I will also open a page for your comments and advice to others in this predicament.
Get involved. Enlist your friends. Sign our petition. Call your representatives.