“Losing a job often means losing health coverage”

By Kayleigh Harvey – Talk Radio News Service

Talk Radio News Service participated in a conference call today with the Executive Director of Families USA, Ron Pollock, where he discussed the “Unemployed and Uninsured in America.”

Mr. Pollock said: “Losing a job often means losing health coverage. Most laid off workers cannot afford COBRA coverage and do not currently qualify for the public health safety net programs. As a result millions of middle class, lower income workers become uninsured. It is critically important that the economic recovery package extend medicaid, eligibility to workers who recently lost their jobs, so that they can continue to get health care coverage.”

Mr Pollock noted: “3.6 million people lost their jobs since December, 2007. Half of that loss occurred in the last 3 months. The number of unemployed in January reached 11.6 million people.”

Explaining what this meant with regards to health insurance coverage, Mr Pollock said: “Only 1 out of every 5 of those unemployed workers, have currently private insurance or military coverage…only 1 out of every 4 of those unemployed workers receives health coverage through either medicaid or other public programs…all of the remaining people, currently over half are uninsured.”

Talking about the coverage available to assist the unemployed pollock said: “COBRA coverage is designed to enable a worker and his or her family to continue getting healthcare coverage, but there is a real catch in terms of their ability to do so. While they may be eligible for such coverage, they have to pay the full premium cost of the coverage, plus a 2 per cent administrative fee.”

Offering assistance to those who are unemployed and uninsured, Pollock said: “For those people who lost job because of the international trade situation…there are some special provisions for you and we help you explore that.”