AHA-supported COBRA bill introduced in Senate

Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Catherine Cortez Mastro, D-NV, yesterday introduced the Worker Health Coverage Protection Act, AHA-supported legislation that would subsidize COBRA and other health coverage for workers who lose employment-based coverage or are furloughed due to the pandemic.

The legislation would subsidize 100% of the premium for workers affected by an employment disruption between March 1, 2020 and Jan. 31, 2021, after which they could enroll in individual market coverage through a special enrollment period. The bill also would extend the period for workers to elect COBRA coverage, and enable workers to access coverage if they declined it before the subsidy was available