Benefits Think

For a typical family in my neck of the woods COBRA insurance would cost approximately $1,000 per month. The income for the same family would be a bit over $2000 per month if only 1 parent received unemployment benefits. With rents averaging $1000 per mo. there's no way that this typical family is going...

An individual might be thinking they can't afford to pay the montly COBRA payment, but they should think twice if they have a chronic health condition. If they go without insurance for too long, that condition might be excluded the next time they get coverage. The future cost burden could turn out to...

President-elect Barack Obama has called on Americans to spend Monday's Martin Luther King Jr. holiday engaging in community service projects. His transition team has offered a list of more than 8,500 projects occurring nationwide for individuals/families/teams to participate in.

Wow, quite a debate we have going here! Thanks to all for your valid and thoughtful responses. We'll be featuring some of them in an upcoming issue of the magazine. Also, we're planning an upcoming feature on the proposals, and will follow the issue as it travels around Capitol Hill. Thanks for reading,...

Unbelievable. Thank you for the insightful comment. Just one of the many, many reasons health care reform can't happen fast enough.

Where is the government going to get the money????

I agree that COBRA payments create "sticker shock" for most applicants. In addition, only those usable to qualify for another type of coverage take the COBRA benefit. My question is IF the benefit is subsidized where will the money come from? These are so many "needs" but we cannot fund them all. Better...

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation issued its Pension Insurance Data Book 2007, which shows that small plans have been terminating at a faster rate than larger plans.

While we strongly simpathize with the plight of the unemployed, subsidizing COBRA would be a mistake. The effect could significantly drive up claims costs to the employer's plan. Former employees with health problems would find it much easier to stay on COBRA, incurring claims for 18-36 months that affect...

And where would that money come from? More taxes -- either on consumers or employers?