Washington, DC -- As jobless claims hit the highest level since the Great Depression, U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) is working to help Americans who have lost their job keep their health insurance through COBRA.
Davis and a group of bipartisan lawmakers this week sent a letter urging House leaders to include federal assistance to cover some of the cost of COBRA in any future funding bill. This would help people who have lost their job due to COVID-19 be able to keep their same employer-sponsored health plan.
A key passage of their letter reads:
"On behalf of our many constituents suddenly facing joblessness, we write to urge you to prioritize, during negotiations for CARES 2.0, assisting workers who have lost or are in danger of losing their health insurance due to being laid off or furloughed.
"Currently, nearly 55 percent of American workers are insured through Employer Sponsored Insurance (ESI) and may lose access to their health insurance or face coverage gaps if they lose their job. Workers in this position have the option through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) to maintain their health insurance. However, COBRA is prohibitively expensive for many Americans, especially as they must also pay for housing, food and other necessities. In previous economic downturns, Congress increased subsidies to help workers afford COBRA. This should be done again in the next legislative package."
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