House, Senate Bills Differ on COBRA Changes

Significant expansion of COBRA continuation of coverage is included in H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which the House approved by a vote of 244-188 on Jan. 28. Similar -- but not identical -- COBRA provisions were approved by the Senate Finance Committee on Jan. 27.

For instance, in the House bill, a maximum of 12 of the 18 months of available COBRA coverage could be subsidized. The Senate Finance Committee provides a subsidy for a maximum of nine of the 18 months of available COBRA coverage.

. . . As under current COBRA law, individuals could only elect coverage that had been in effect before the COBRA qualifying event [under the House bill]. The Senate Finance Committee version would allow an individual “special enrollment” in a plan offered to employed workers that provides the same or lower health insurance premiums than the individual’s previous coverage option.

Source: CCH News Library