Federal Subsidy to COBRA Ends

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By WBNG News

Story Created: Dec 1, 2009 at 7:34 AM EST

Story Updated: Dec 1, 2009 at 7:34 AM EST

Unemployed Americans are about to see their health care costs soar.

A federal subsidy to COBRA ends Tuesday.

COBRA is the program that allows workers to keep their company's health insurance plan after they leave their job.

The subsidy was part of the the economic stimulus bill President Obama signed in February. It lowered the cost of COBRA by 65% for workers laid off after September 1 of last year. But the subsidy only lasted nine months.

Advocacy group Families USA says the average family using COBRA will see their insurance premiums jump from $389 per month to more than $1,100 per month.

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