Due to the economic recession and the large amount of people who found themselves unemployed, the government passed laws to create a COBRA insurance subsidy for people who needed COBRA insurance but were not able to afford the expensive premium.  This COBRA insurance subsidy paid 65% of the premium for anyone on COBRA who was unemployed and met certain conditions.  The government renewed this subsidy three times to extend its length and continue to assist people.

Unfortunately, this subsidy came to an end on August 30, 2011 which means that no one is eligible to receive assistance paying for their COBRA insurance benefits any longer.  If you are considering COBRA insurance but worried about the cost it is smart to look at alternatives to COBRA insurance and also get quotes from independent companies to compare rates and health insurance plans.