THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY MURPHY, W. KELLER, BRADFORD, BRENNAN, CALTAGIRONE, D. COSTA, CUTLER, DAVIS, DiGIROLAMO, FABRIZIO, FREEMAN, GEORGE, HENNESSEY, KORTZ, MANN, MATZIE, MILLARD, PARKER, PASHINSKI, PAYTON, READSHAW, ROSS, SANTONI, K. SMITH, THOMAS, VULAKOVICH AND DONATUCCI, APRIL 26, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND INDUSTRY, APRIL 26, 2011  

A RESOLUTION

Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Consolidated Omnibus

Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) in 2011.

WHEREAS, The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act

of 1985 (COBRA) was approved by the Congress of the United

States and signed into law on April 7, 1986, in order to provide

workers and their families the opportunity to temporarily

continue needed group health care coverage in instances where

coverage would otherwise end; and

WHEREAS, Prior to COBRA, workers and families had little

ability to stay on employer-based group health care plans after

job loss or other separation from an employer and often

experienced gaps in health care coverage; and

WHEREAS, The concept of continuing coverage began through the

work of a citizens' group called the Older Women's League, which

petitioned for laws to help women keep their health care

coverage after divorce or the death of a spouse; and

WHEREAS, The passage of COBRA ensured that millions of

workers and their dependents could extend their health benefits

for up to 18 or 36 months after leaving a job or reducing work

hours or after life events such as divorce, retirement or the

death of a working family member; and

WHEREAS, COBRA provides protections by directing health plans

of employers with 20 or more employees to offer continuation of

coverage at the existing cost of the premium in addition to

minimal administrative costs; and

WHEREAS, COBRA has also played an important role in helping

workers who transition to new jobs by providing coverage through

waiting periods or preexisting condition exclusion periods that

may be required in subsequent health plans; and

WHEREAS, In recent years, COBRA has provided access to health

care coverage to many workers who have lost jobs during the

recession; and

WHEREAS, COBRA remains a significant law for working

families, as the United States Census Bureau reports more than

50 million or 16.7% of individuals nationwide were without

health insurance in 2009 and the United States Bureau of Labor

Statistics calculates the national unemployment rate for March

2011 to be 8.8%; and

WHEREAS, The United States Department of Labor has estimated

that in the last 25 years, nearly 50 million workers and family

members have relied on COBRA insurance coverage; and

WHEREAS, COBRA established an important safety net for many

workers and their families, and the Congress of the United

States and many state governments have supported additional

measures to expand coverage or improve upon this law; therefore

be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commemorate the

25th anniversary of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget

Reconciliation Act of 1985 in 2011.