Today marks the expiration of the federal subsidy covering 65 percent of the cost of COBRA premiums - a program implemented in 2009 under ARRA. As you know, employees who were involuntarily terminated between Sept. 1, 2008 and May 31, 2010 were eligible for the subsidy. Enrollment in the program ended in May 2010 but extensions stretched the subsidies out for 15 months. Although legislation to extend the eligibility beyond May 31, 2010 was proposed, it never passed.

Since the subsidies covered 15 months of premiums, those who were laid off in May 2010 (the last month of eligibility for premium assistance) and still have COBRA will pay the full cost of coverage for at least three months starting in September.