COBRA in the stimulus bill?

[HERVEPA]

Does anyone know whether the provision, which was in the house bill to allow those laid off after age 55 to COBRA until age 65, is in the final bill?
Or alternatively, a listing of the final bill being voted on.

THANKS

[sandnsea]

1. I think so, with a 60% subsidy

http://www.dotmed.com/news/story/8166/

I haven't seen where the medicaid for those on unemployment was kept.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

2. Has the entire conference bill been posted yet ?

I'm interested in the COBRA provision also but from the administration side. I need to know what processes I need to change here at work

[sandnsea]

3. I don't think there's been a final vote

And then it will have to go through administrative regulatory processes, right? How do you administer people with COBRA now? That's something I never had to do when I was doing payroll many eternities ago.

[HERVEPA]

5. I haven't been able to find it, or even a clear listing of the provisions

[HERVEPA]

4. The subsidy is short term (1 year?)

The other provision is most important to me, as a 59 1/2 year old who may be unemployed or unemployable. Group rates are so much better than individual for folks my age.

[sandnsea]

6. Yes the 55 - 65 provision is there

I was just commenting that the 60% subsidy is there too. I think once adults start getting some help with their health insurance, they'll get on board with wanting it all the time.

[HERVEPA]

7. Thanks for the info! Where did you find it?

[sandnsea]

8. google news n/t

[HERVEPA]

9. I couldn't find anything about the final bill regarding the age 65 extension

It was in the house bill, not in the senate bill, haven't seen anything about the extension in the reconciled bill.

[sandnsea]

10. It was in the senate bill too

per that link I posted.

[Don in Utah]

11. Out of luck ...

Sorry folks, but it didn't make it in the final stimulus bill.

First off, that arbitrary 9/1/08 start date for being unemployed is absurd. The actual recession and resultant lay-offs started well in advance of that. Doesn't it make more sense to help those who have been unemployed longer and will therefore run out of their COBRA coverage even sooner?? More specific to this thread, it was also too bad that the Senate managed to get the extended COBRA coverage for those laid-off employees over 55 pulled from the House bill. Here again, those that were laid-off and over 55 will have all the more issues with getting affordable medical insurance coverage (if they can get it at all, especially for those with pre-existing conditions). Therefore, those over 55 who were laid-off in advance of 9/1/08 essentially got screwed twice with the COBRA plan that is in the final stimulus bill about to be signed by President Obama.

[Avis]

12. Business

Business pressured to get it out, but who actually did it? I need someone to write to and complain. As if things aren't bad enough, not being able to continue with some group plan makes it impossible. It had to be someone connected to business?

[Don in Utah]

13. Republican support ?

I also heard that business associated interests were against it. It was in the original House bill, so it was definitely taken out while the bill was in the Senate. However, I haven't heard who specifically did it, but I suspect it was some form of appeasement for getting/keeping the 3 moderate Republicans on board. Really a shame!