“The economy has been tough on millions of individuals and families – and many are losing health insurance through no fault of their own,” said Delahunt. “This legislation will ensure that families and individuals have access to affordable health coverage.”
The Extended COBRA Continuation Protection Act of 2009, authored by Congressman Joe Sestak (PA) extends by six months a provision from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to provide funding to cover 65 percent of health insurance premiums to individuals eligible for COBRA benefits who have been involuntarily terminated during the economic recession.
The bill extends COBRA benefits in three main ways. First, it extends by 6 months-- from 9 to 15 months-- the total allowable time an unemployed worker can receive COBRA premium assistance. This will allow workers who enrolled in the program in February to continue on until at least May 2010. Second, it extends this assistance to individuals who are involuntarily terminated between January 1 and June 30, 2010. Third, it extends eligibility for traditional COBRA coverage an additional 6 months, from 18 to 24 months, for those terminated at the beginning of the economic recession in 2008. No extended COBRA premium assistance or extended COBRA benefits would extend beyond December 31, 2010.
The other bill, H.R. 3966, simply amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to extend the eligibility period during which a terminated individual can receive the 65 percent COBRA premium subsidy. Currently under ARRA, premium assistance is available only to individuals who were involuntarily terminated between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009. H.R. 3966 to extends the December 31 cut-off to June 30, 2010. This legislation was introduced by Andre Carson (D-IN) on October 29, 2009.
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