WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives today approved legislation that would ensure access to affordable health care coverage and unemployment benefits for workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. The bill would extend federal COBRA subsidies for millions of American families at risk of losing health care coverage while also extending unemployment insurance (UI) benefits for millions of workers struggling to find employment. These provisions were included in H.R. 3326, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2010 which passed by a vote of 395 to 34. Additionally, the legislation would prevent a 21 percent fee reduction for certain Medicare providers scheduled for January 2010, ensuring that beneficiaries can continue to see their physician.
“This bill ensures that workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own will not lose the unemployment and health benefits they rely upon to provide for their families, " said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY). “The immediate benefits and assistance provided in this bill help provide some measure of economic security for millions of our fellow Americans struggling during this holiday season, helping ease their pain as they search for their next job opportunity."
COBRA Subsidy Extension
The bill would extend the duration of and eligibility for the 65 percent COBRA premium subsidy included in H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which is estimated to have helped seven million workers facing recession-related job loss maintain health coverage for their families. H.R. 3326 extends the duration of subsidy from nine months to 15 months and extends the deadline for eligibility from Dec. 31, 2009 to Feb. 28, 2010.
Unemployment Insurance Benefit Extension
The bill provides a two month extension of the three primary Unemployment Insurance (UI) provisions established or continued by the Recovery Act that otherwise would be phased-out at the end of the year, including:
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Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program, which provides up to 53 weeks of federally-funded extended benefits;
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One hundred percent federal funding for the Extended Benefits (EB) program, which provides up to an additional 13 to 20 weeks of benefits in certain States; and
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Federal Additional Compensation (FAC), which increases all UI benefits by $25 a week.
The extension prevents over one million workers from exhausting their unemployment benefits by the end of January, with the first wave running out of benefits the day after Christmas.
of the UI provisions.
Medicare Physician Payment
The bill includes a 60 day freeze at current payment levels to prevent a scheduled 21 percent cut in Medicare payments to physicians and selected other providers, preserving access to care for Medicare and TRICARE beneficiaries while permanent Medicare physician payment reform is negotiated in the context of health reform efforts.
On Nov. 19, 2009 the House passed H.R. 3961, Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act, which would permanently reform Medicare physician payment system.R. 3961.
