Press Releases

SPRINGFIELD, MA – House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced that recently unemployed Americans would have 60 days after the national emergency declaration for COVID-19 is lifted to sign up for COBRA:

“Yesterday’s announcement from President Trump is one step forward, but not a complete solution to the true pain point that millions of recently unemployed Americans are facing—the high costs associated with continuing their health insurance through COBRA. Workers have to assume 100 percent of the cost of their formerly employer-provided coverage, a burden that is far out of reach for many of the scores of newly unemployed Americans. COBRA provides stability and security for workers and their families at a time when tens of millions of Americans are losing their jobs and health insurance. This is why Democrats have proposed subsidies for recently unemployed workers to afford continued coverage.”

Chairman Neal has also called on the Trump Administration to create a special enrollment period for the millions affected by the ongoing pandemic to more easily access comprehensive coverage through Healthcare.gov.

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