This is a tough issue. On one hand, employees who have lost a job and don't have another one lined up are the least able to afford the huge cost of insurance premiums, particularly family COBRA coverage.
On the other hand, this seems like a band aid that will do little to help keep the cost of our healthcare system down. I can just imagine the back room talk -
"Well, since the government is going to pick up half the tab maybe we can ratchet those premiums up a little higher..."
Wherever that back room is, someone is surely going to get an idea like that.
So the question is, do you help people who really need it now, or try to let the pressure mount on the system until we have no choice but to make some lasting changes. It may make more sense to expand eligibility for the federal employees health insurance program or temporarily expand coverage through Medicade to those out of work. Lets hope that this recession doesn't last long enough for any of these cost increases to become permanent.
