Workers who have lost their jobs – and their health care benefits – since Sept. 1, 2008 still have until the end of this year to qualify for a 65 percent subsidy on the premiums they paid to continue health coverage after they were laid off.

 Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, laid-off workers who qualify for continued health insurance under a 1985 federal law commonly known as COBRA only have to pay 35 percent of the group health insurance premium their former employer offered for up to nine of the 18 months they can continue their coverage.

 The federal government reimburses the employer, health plan administrator or insurance company for the other 65 percent of the premium through a payroll tax credit.

The subsidy is provided only for periods of health coverage beginning after Feb. 16. Laid-off workers eligible for Medicare or group health coverage through their spouse or a new employer are not eligible for the subsidy.

The health insurance continuation option is available in Idaho to employees laid off from businesses with payrolls of 20 or more. If requests to continue health coverage are denied, workers can get an expedited review by the U.S. Department of Labor.

More information on COBRA, the subsidy and how to appeal a denial of continued coverage is available at http://www.dol.gov/COBRA.