Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of people who lost their health insurance when they lost their jobs over the last two years said they've skipped needed health care or did not fill prescriptions because of cost, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report.
The same proportion is also struggling with medical bills or medical debt, compared to 49 percent who lost jobs but not their health insurance.
Six in 10 working Americans rely on health insurance obtained through their employer, and when an estimated 15 million working-age adults lost their jobs and their employer-based insurance between 2008 and 2010, 9 million became uninsured. Under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), people employed by companies with 20 or more workers and have health insurance sponsored by that company can keep their health insurance for up to 18 months if they lose their job. However, because unemployed workers must pay the full premium, few people elect to continue their coverage through COBRA.
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