Do Unemployment Benefits Cover COBRA Health Insurance??? (receive, apply, payment)

[StaggerLee22]

A friend of mine is going to apply for unemployment and she was wondering if it covers the cost of Cobra.
The little bit of info I got was from 2008.
Does anybody know?
Thanks

[Ariadne22]

Eligibility for COBRA premium subsidy ended May 31, 2010.

[StaggerLee22]

So her only option is to pay out of pocket?
That will make a huge dent it that income.
Uh-oh!

[Ariadne22]

Yup. Govt. had covered 65% of the premium for 18 months for anyone unemployed on or before May 31, 2010.

Your friend can also expect to receive only 26 weeks' state benefits, but no EUC tiers because eligibility for that expires on December 24, 2011 for Tier 1. Unless she is in NJ, or Alaska, Connecticut, Kansas, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington all of which mandate EB provided unemployment rate triggers are met, her benefits end with the up to 26 weeks she is eligible for now. If Congress extends the legislation at the end of this year - a big IF - then the tiers and EB might be available - no guess as to for how long.

[myrc60]

Unemployment does not pay enough in any state to cover COBRA payments.

[Ariadne22]

Originally Posted by myrc60

Unemployment does not pay enough in any state to cover COBRA payments.

If you have dependents, some states pay as much as $1,000/wk. HI premiums for a family can be $1,200/mo. or more. It is doable if you were a high income individual in a state with generous benefits - assuming you can live on what's left.

MA pays over 1K/wk, NJ can pay up to $600/wk., Rhode Island over $650/wk, Connecticut $600/wk. In MA, RI and CT, that includes a dependent benefit.

[C.C]

Originally Posted by Ariadne22

Yup. Govt. had covered 65% of the premium for 18 months for anyone unemployed on or before May 31, 2010.
.

Not to quibble, but the subsidy was only for 15 months...

[Ariadne22]

Originally Posted by C.C

Not to quibble, but the subsidy was only for 15 months...

You are correct - confused the 15 months with the 18 months.

[myrc60]

Originally Posted by Ariadne22

...assuming you can live on what's left.

MA pays over 1K/wk, NJ can pay up to $600/wk., Rhode Island over $650/wk, Connecticut $600/wk. In MA, RI and CT, that includes a dependent benefit.

In many states it is hard to live on what is left; if anything is left would apply to my state, South Carolina. Weekly benefit of $225 is not gonna cover it.

[ReturningWest]

I was laid off before the COBRA discount and it would have taken all but about $20. to cover the COBRA so I've been without health insurance for over 3 years now.