I'm gonna have to be brief this a.m. Responding to slinkerwink's excellent diary this morning (top rec as of 10:45 AM CST), wanted to share another perspective...
COBRA benefits ought to be handled with healthcare as a whole.
COBRA benefits increases should NOT be used to "stimulate the economy." The last thing we need to do is flood our health insurance companies with more money.
What we need to do is to provide CARE for people. Insurance companies don't provide care. They provide insurance. They RATION care.
Jim Cooper voted against the stimulus package specifically because of the COBRA thing. Here - listen to this - and do yourselves and America a favor.
Then let's talk with Ezra Klein about comprehensive healthcare reform - not pissing money away to health insurance companies.
k bye
update 1:
does paying health insurance create jobs?
does it improve quality of healthcare?
does it help people get healthy?
it this the best expenditure of taxpayer money?
update 2:
from comments:
"COBRA blows. We need a national health plan."
OK, that sums it up. Thanks. I'd simply add: NOW. We need a national health plan NOW.
Paying COBRA just kicks the can down the road. And it throws money after things that don't actually improve quality or access to care.