Petition Would Force House Vote on Legislation to Cover COBRA Premiums, Expand Medicaid Eligibility for Unemployed

House Democrats plan to sign a petition this week to force a vote on a bill (HR 3341) introduced last November that would help unemployed workers purchase health insurance, the Denver Rocky Mountain News reports (Draper, Denver Rocky Mountain News, 3/12). The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), would offer recently unemployed workers a one-year, 75% subsidy to purchase health insurance through COBRA and would allow states to cover the full cost of COBRA coverage for people whose family income is less than 200% of the federal poverty line. COBRA, the 1986 Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, allows unemployed workers to retain health coverage under their former employers' insurance plans by paying 102% of the premiums (HR 3341 bill summary). The bill would also provide additional funds to allow states to extend Medicaid coverage to unemployed workers who do not qualify for the program (Denver Rocky Mountain News, 3/12). The House referred the legislation to the Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Education and the Workforce committees last November, but none of the committees have reported the legislation (HR 3341 bill summary). House Minority Whip Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced the decision to petition for a vote on the bill last week after the House passed economic stimulus legislation that did not include provisions to help unemployed workers purchase health insurance. House Republicans, who oppose the McDermott legislation, favor a proposal to provide one-year tax credits to cover up to 60% of the cost of health insurance for unemployed workers (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 3/8).