Biden Praised for Call for Government to Pay 100% COBRA Premiums During Crisis

NEW YORK—D. Taylor, the International President of UNITE HERE, the hospitality union with over 95% of its members unemployed as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic, called on Congress to follow the recommendation of former Vice President Joe Biden for federal assistance to cover 100% of COBRA health insurance premiums for those workers unemployed and unable to pay their premiums.

“Former Vice President Biden has stepped up and said the government should ‘pick up the full cost of COBRA premiums right now.’ UNITE HERE applauds his decisiveness and call to action. We hope Congress follows his recommendation. Now.

“The healthcare crisis of a lifetime requires full emergency healthcare coverage for those millions of hardworking Americans who, through no fault of their own, have become unemployed and now face a choice between insurmountable premium payments to pay for their COBRA health insurance payments or becoming uninsured.

“One of the most powerful tools Congress can use is to provide 100% premium payments for those American workers who are unemployed, but cannot afford their insurance premiums. Working people are barely treading water right now; anything less than 100% coverage will sink them. Now is not the time to engage in partisan bickering or prolonged ideological discussions about the ultimate course of healthcare in America; workers need action and they need it now.”

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UNITE HERE is a labor union that represents over 300,000 members working in the hotel, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, distribution, laundry, transportation, and airport industries in the U.S. and Canada.