by SEIU International
Today, with the economic situation, millions of Americans are losing their jobs. And while most workers’ USA health insurance is subsidized by their employers, many Americans worry that when they lose their jobs they will also lose access to affordable health care. In the US where the cost of health care is high, access to health benefits is considered a necessity.
To address this issue, the U.S. Congress passed the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), which was signed by President Reagan to give former employees and their families a chance to continue their health insurance for a limited period of time. This helps offer those who lost jobs health coverage for up to eighteen months, which should be enough time for the person who got laid off to obtain another health insurance through a new job.
When qualified, you are only required to pay 35 percent of your COBRA premiums. The remaining 65 percent will be shouldered by COBRA through a tax credit. The “qualifying events” include: retirement, job loss, job transitions, divorce or death.
February 17 of 2009 is a very significant date. This is the day that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was enacted. The Act includes a 65% subsidy to employees for up to nine months provided that the employee is qualified to enroll.
This continuation health law usually covers group health plans sustained by employers who have 20 or more employees in the prior year. It applies to plans in the private sectors and those sponsored by state and local governments. However, it does not apply to plans sponsored by the Federal government and certain church- related organizations.
Qualified beneficiaries for this continued health plan are those individuals who were covered by a group health plan on the day before a qualifying event. Under certain conditions, qualified beneficiaries who participate in a group plan, include independent contractors, agents and directors. A period of 60 days is given to those qualified beneficiaries to elect COBRA. They may elect coverage independently, or on behalf of other qualified beneficiaries, such as parent or legal guardian on behalf of a child.
The following health benefits are provided for COBRA beneficiaries:
* Inpatient and outpatient hospital services
* Prescription drugs
* Physician care
* Surgery and other major health benefits
* Other USA health insurance benefits, such as dental and vision care
Another disadvantage of choose COBRA is that the ex-employee does not need to apply for a new health insurance, which is difficult to obtain especially to people with preexisting conditions. For example, a pregnant woman who got laid off and lost her insurance will also have a hard time getting a new health insurance because of her condition. However, this is no longer a problem as she can choose to continue her health coverage through COBRA.
The Disadvantages of COBRA
Anyone who lost their jobs is encouraged to apply for COBRA coverage. However, even if you are eligible, it is important to take note that the employer no longer shoulders this health coverage. This means that the ex-employee will have to pay for the portion his/ her ex-employer used to pay for his/her USA health Insurance.
This video is a skit written by supporters of HR 676 the single payer national health insurance bill in Congress (John Conyers – Michigan). All other industrialized countries have universal national health care. Their medical costs are far less than ours are in the United States but their health outcomes are as good or better. Americans have seen their health insurance premiums increase by 87% from 2000 to 2006 while their earnings only increased by 20% and the average rate of overall inflation was 18% during the same time period (Kaiser Family Foundation). Why does your health care cost so much? Data from the Institute for Health and Socio-Economic Policy show that: 1. The top seven US health insurers earned a combined billion dollars – nearly triple their profits of 5 years earlier (Wall Street Journal, August 2006). 2. In 2004 top executives of the 11 largest health insurers made a combined million per year in one year (Weiss Reports). 3. The 20 largest HMOs in the US made .8 billion in profits in the fiscal year 2005. 12 top HMO executives pocketed 2.6 million in direct compensation in the fiscal year 2005. 4. Dr. William McGuire, CEO of UnitedHealthcare had .6 billion in exercisable options at the end of 2005 (CBN News, Oct. 16, 2006) in addition to his salary. 30%-35% of each dollar of your premium goes to pay for: executive salaries, administration, lobbying, marketing and other non-health care related costs. It’s time for privately delivered health …
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@DrChristineAdams
The health insurance is just greedy with their money (fact) , they would do anything just go get a few pennies into their piggybank.
@DrChristineAdams. Bullshit. I’m from the Netherlands. There are more market mechanisms in the Dutch healthcare sector than in the US at the moment. Healthcare is a service like any other; someone provides it and someone has to pay for the costs. Making healthcare a government service is a step towards totalitarian socialism/fascism, which is why you want it of course.
No other industrialized country permits for-profit health plans to play a central role in financing health care. Health plans are unnecessary. They do not provide that actual health care – health professionals do that nor do they raise funds independent of your premiums. Taxpayers pay for all health care in this nation. With a national program we would some control. We have no control over the private plans now. None of the democracies with national health care are voting to have our system.
Dr. Donald Berwick, the man who will run your health care: “I cannot believe that the individual health care consumer can enforce through choice the proper configurations of a system as massive and complex as health care. That is for leaders to do. … A progressive policy regime will control and rationalize financing—control supply. … About 8% of GDP is plenty for ‘best known’ care.”
look chumps,,
just PAY for MY HELF CAYA NOW…I be NEEB you to BUY my HELF CAYA for me an my byotches wid da helf problems and all dem kids be poppin out soze I can git me a good mj type doctor wid dem good trippin scrips soze i can kick da cough syrup man you know what i mean…now smile when i tole you dat man..it all be worf it man,,,,all be worf it…
And the MUTANTS will STILL not want to believe your not advocating socialism. Okay then, you can pay my premium AND wear a powdered wig while you do it.
H.I. is the enemy of working people, they’re MIDDLE MEN. They shuffle paper not treat patients you putz’s.
Oh, and, by the way-Great job on this video!
To begin with, healthcare reform would never have been an issue if the healthcare industry hadn’t put profits in place of (not even in front of, but in place of) people. Remember the girl who needed a liver transplant and didn’t get approved until she died? She died. You know, dead. As in game over and thanks for playing (and losing) our game. I’m not a fan of big Gov, but it’s interesting to me that anything that is privatized whether it’s automobiles or healthcare ends up killing the buyer.
We already are. We can be scammed by the government or by a handful of CEOs. Heed your own words. Arm yourself with knowledge, because youve already been taken advantage of.
I wanted to watch this video, but as soon as the offensive intro music came on I hit the stop button.
WHY f#$k up good stuff with crap like that?
I’m Canadian. Stop Bullshitting
Love the information in the side bar! Great Video!
Nice Scott Joplin soundtrack, too!
Ignorance in its purest form.
don’t be silly, thats the american system
we do not need to have goobers making a profit on suffering
how naive, have to make a profit? good god if we go anywhere near the government plan we will be trading health care for all for a failed health care system…
You have breast cancer? Well the treatment that is recommended for you is too costly. You’re claim is denied. You’ll die you say? Well that’s the way the life goes.
Think I’m exaggerating this point? Just research the Canadian health care. Arm yourself with knowledge or you will be taken advantage of.
Insurance co’s are frauds. They have relinquished all rights to have the field to themselves. Even the Republicans acknowledged that health care needed to be fixed, during the elections in 2008. It is time to take the corruption out of this.
Thanks
I just wear Alex Chiu’s immortality rings and H have no health problems what so ever. No health insurance needed.
Health insurance companies, HMOs, and pharmaceuticals get to play Gatekeeper. They fully regulate patients’ access, regardless of the doctor’s medical judgment. Good health insurance is almost always granted to high paid employees through the noblesse oblige of employers, most low end wage earners are doomed to losing the game, not just of health insurance, but also of health. Profiteers play God: Who will go broke? Who will have medicine? Who will be left to die?
HR 676 is not Obamacare. There is NO Obamacare. You are referring to the Mass. Model of reform (R-Mitt Rommney & Mass. Leg.) which is absolutely wrongheaded ‘cuz for-profit health plans make out like bandits ‘cuz they can charge whatever they want for whatever benefits they want & Mass. residents are mandated to buy the product. For-profit health plans & the politicians who support them are the problem. You can’t mandate buying insur. if you don’t heavily regulate private for-profit plans.
IN case YOU do not know–with Obamacare you are mandated to buy or face a hefty fine. Read the fine point.
By that logic, if I dont like dirty air but thats all there is, I shouldnt breathe. All other industrialized nations cover everyone & have as good or better medical outcomes than the US. They have eliminated for-profit health plans & heavily regulate the nonprofit health plans. I am completely in favor of insurance companies selling coverage for auto, home, etc. & other optional commodities or services. No one should make money from denying healthcare which is how health plans make profit.