Freshly laid off and unemployed? Have no fear. It will become cheaper for most people to keep health insurance after losing a job if the government’s stimulus plan becomes law. The purpose of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is to stimulate the economy by preserving and creating jobs, helping the unemployed and uninsured, and assisting states with budget relief measures. The U.S. House of Representatives has just approved measures to expand access to affordable health care coverage for workers who become jobless because of the recession. It is estimated that this package will help 8.2 million people keep their healthcare coverage. Briefly, this legislation would:

• Give a 65 percent subsidy for COBRA premiums for up to one year for workers who have lost their jobs between September 1, 2008 and December 1, 2009;
• Make funding available to states that agree to provide Medicaid coverage to these unemployed and uninsured workers and their families; and
• Extend the COBRA benefits for older and long-term employees until they are able to find new health insurance coverage through future employment or they become eligible for Medicare.

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