Health care reform has a goal of making health insurance more affordable and easier to obtain for all Americans by 2014. With this time frame coming within a few years, many are questioning why personal health insurance for millions of Americans is actually increasing. According to the article “For Many Without Workplace Health Coverage, Premium Costs Rising” by Arielle Levin Becker on CTMirror.com, federal subsidies that were designed to assist laid-off workers keep health insurance are coming to an end for nearly all recipients.
These subsidies helped many people struggling to find work during a tough transitional time. They were available for up to 15 months for those who were laid-off between September 2008 and May 2010. The subsidies helped cut their out-of-pocket costs so they could continue receiving health insurance through their employers for a certain time frame. If these people still have not found work, or their new jobs do not offer health insurance benefits, they are on the hunt for affordable individual health insurance. Unfortunately, monthly premiums can be high and if your unemployed, they can be downright unaffordable. Many Americans are choosing to take jobs paying less money they were used to while they wait for a highly desired position. These Americans are finding it tough to find the right health insurance policy and many are simply going without.
Going without health insurance is never a good idea, even for just a short time frame. If something catastrophic were to happen, bills will far outweigh any monthly premium consumers are trying to avoid. Most Americans who have lost their job are eligible for 18 months or more through the program COBRA, which stands for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985. Even COBRA can be very expensive since ex-workers have to pay the full cost of the policy versus having the employer paying a portion or all of the premium. Across the nation, up to 2 million households received COBRA subsidies in 2009 which cost the government over $2 billion according to the US Department of the Treasury. With Congress desperately trying to cut down the budget, that is a cost that cannot continue and has already put a dent in the nation’s deficit. Hopefully health care reform will create some tangible changes that truly help Americans obtain coverage and does not cost the government billions.
These subsidies helped many people struggling to find work during a tough transitional time. They were available for up to 15 months for those who were laid-off between September 2008 and May 2010. The subsidies helped cut their out-of-pocket costs so they could continue receiving health insurance through their employers for a certain time frame. If these people still have not found work, or their new jobs do not offer health insurance benefits, they are on the hunt for affordable individual health insurance. Unfortunately, monthly premiums can be high and if your unemployed, they can be downright unaffordable. Many Americans are choosing to take jobs paying less money they were used to while they wait for a highly desired position. These Americans are finding it tough to find the right health insurance policy and many are simply going without.
Going without health insurance is never a good idea, even for just a short time frame. If something catastrophic were to happen, bills will far outweigh any monthly premium consumers are trying to avoid. Most Americans who have lost their job are eligible for 18 months or more through the program COBRA, which stands for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985. Even COBRA can be very expensive since ex-workers have to pay the full cost of the policy versus having the employer paying a portion or all of the premium. Across the nation, up to 2 million households received COBRA subsidies in 2009 which cost the government over $2 billion according to the US Department of the Treasury. With Congress desperately trying to cut down the budget, that is a cost that cannot continue and has already put a dent in the nation’s deficit. Hopefully health care reform will create some tangible changes that truly help Americans obtain coverage and does not cost the government billions.
Sumber : http://www.healthinsurancesort.com
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