Here comes the news that the Senate won't extend COBRA subsidies for the unemployed. This means millions of Americans and their families will now go without health insurance since they cannot afford the full cost of their COBRA premiums. As a result of the Senate's misplaced priorities, people will suffer.
WASHINGTON—Senate Democratic leaders unveiled a revamped tax bill Tuesday that, like a House-passed measure, omits an extension of federal COBRA premium subsidies for laid-off employees.
That omission makes it even less likely that lawmakers will again extend the 15-month, 65% COBRA premium subsidy, which has expired and is not available to workers who are terminated involuntarily after May 31.
Please tell the Senate what you think by clicking on the link below!
CLICK TO TELL THE SENATE TO RESTORE COBRA SUBSIDIES FOR THE UNEMPLOYED!
The President has asked Congress to extend COBRA subsidiesfor the unemployed, and we need to help him out by telling the Senate why we are in full support of extending the safety net for our friends and families to prevent them from falling through the cracks. Here is President Obama on this issue:
"We think it's important to sustain it for at least another six months, because there's still a lot of folks who are out of work. This is being debated in Congress right now. And so, Dennis," Obama told the questioner, "the answer is to make sure that Congress follows through on its commitment... and maintains COBRA until people are working at a higher rate."
Obama added that COBRA subsidies are not a long-term solution, but are required because the major provisions of health care reform have not kicked in.
If Congress fails to extend COBRA subsidies, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has vowed to return to the issue. Any worker laid off after June 1, unless the law is changed, is not eligible for COBRA subsidies, though workers laid off earlier can continue getting the subsidy.
And did you know that right before President Obama reiterated his support of extending COBRA subsidies for the unemployed, Senator Chuck Schumer said the subsidy extension would not be in the Senate version of the tax bill?
You CAN contact Senator Schumer at 202-224-6542 to tell him what you think about the COBRA subsidies for the unemployed being left out, and tell him the President supports the extension of these subsidies.
This is your chance now to tell the Senate what you think about their misplaced priorities, and tell them to stand up for millions of unemployed Americans and their families by restoring their COBRA subsidies. Or else, these families will be forced to go without insurance.
TELL THE SENATE TO RESTORE THE COBRA SUBSIDIES FOR THE UNEMPLOYED!
Will you also please donate $5, $10, or $20 to help us whip the Senate into restoring COBRA subsidies for unemployed Americans and their families?
Disclosure:
The funds donated to the Progressive Congress Action Fund, a 501(C)4 not for profit, will be used to advocate on behalf of the progressive agenda, to advance progressive legislation, and may include payments to individuals engaged in fund raising.