Important "COBRA Stimulus Bill" Update: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009, has given some the ability to enroll or re-enroll into COBRA and pay only 35% of their original premiums. It is important that anyone who is considering COBRA health insurance coverage, learn about the Stimulus Bill and COBRA Benefits.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009, is a $787 billion stimulus bill. One of the many provisions of the bill is to directly provide relief to millions on the COBRA plan or ex-employees who need COBRA health insurance coverage. This "COBRA stimulus plan" will provide enrollees a COBRA premium subsidy along with providing COBRA benefits to ex-employees who were denied coverage.
Basically, it gave the ex-employee the ability to continue their employer sponsored health insurance plan. The insurance stayed the same but the entire premium was to be paid by the ex-employee.
The First Part of The COBRA Stimulus Plan: Reduced Premiums
The Obama COBRA health insurance stimulus plan basically has two parts.
Part 1: In the first part, The COBRA stimulus plan will be able to step in and help struggling families trying to pay their COBRA benefits. People who are currently enrolled in the COBRA plan will get a 65% reduction in their premium costs. This will be a huge savings to many families struggling to keep their COBRA benefits.
Part 2: The Ability to Re-Enroll into COBRA
The second part of the COBRA stimulus plan will provide recently unemployed people the ability to re-enroll into the COBRA plan, even if they had denied coverage in the past. This will help a great amount of people who choose not to continue their health insurance through COBRA because they just could not afford it.
1. Valid for people who were involuntarily terminated between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009
2. To be eligible annual income cannot exceed $125,000 for a single person and $250,000 for a couples
3. 65% of existing COBRA premiums will be subsidized by the U.S. Treasury Department
4. Subsidies will be available for up to 9 months
5. If you declined COBRA health insurance coverage after September 1, 2008 you will have the option to re-enroll into COBRA with the above subsides
6. Notices of the COBRA subsidies and re-enrollment information will be sent from the COBRA administrator (usually your previous employer)
7. Subsidies will be paid, via a refundable tax credit, directly to the COBRA administrators
8. Subsidies will terminate if the enrollee acquires a new health insurance plan through another employer or is eligible for Medicare
9. Subsidies will only apply to COBRA premiums paid after the effective date of February 17, 2009 and there will be no refund of premiums prior to this date
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i need help payimg cobra insurance premeium. i have two hyrniated discs and a tear in my L5. i was just fired from my factory job of 2 years for exceeding my fmla. i may need helpa spine fusion and know i have no insurance im the only person with any income in my house and i just cant afford 600.00 a month for insurance. who do i contact for the stimulus help or any help for that matter please help me.
Visit this COBRA government site. Telephone: 1-866-4-USA-DOL (1-866-487-2365)