COBRA Subsidy Ends: Did It Make a Difference?

From Sarah Kliff, writing at Ezra Klein’s blog:

From Sarah Kliff, writing at Ezra Klein’s blog:

With little notice or fanfare, today marks the end of federal subsidies for COBRA health insurance, the program that allows recently laid off workers to stay on their former employers’ health insurance. Traditionally, workers pay the entire premium, but as part of the stimulus package, Congress created a 65 percent COBRA subsidy, which was then extended repeatedly to stretch through the end of this month. That brings down the average family’s monthly premium from $1,137 to $398, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

So, did the subsidy work?

The results from four studies range from it worked a lot to it worked a decent amount to it worked a little to it didn’t work.