COBRA Enrollment Doubled Since Program Expansion

Bloomberg News (8/19, Collins) reports COBRA enrollments "have doubled" since the start of the expanded program in February, according to a survey by Hewitt. The analysis of "200 US companies, each with more than 15,000 employees," found that "industrial manufacturing companies, such as those that produce construction equipment, showed the largest increase.

COBRA enrollments rose to 59 percent from March 2009 to June 2009, up from 7 percent in the period before the subsidy." Some insurers "said they have seen an increase in costs in COBRA-related claims this year, 'mainly because of the recession and resulting job losses,'" according to Aetna spokesperson Fred Laberge, who added, "We believe COBRA members tend to use more services while they still have coverage."

Notably, Congress is presently "considering health reform, which could change how unemployed workers obtain health insurance."