>>>>As long as you can show proof that you have had continuous health insurance covereage, the insurance companies can not deny you coverage for pre-existing conditions. Now that employers are required to pick up the tab for 60% of the COBRA costs, it is more affordable for the people who have lost jobs to keep continuous coverage.
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>>>But don't they charge more for a pre-existing condition?
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>>>So far as 60% of COBRA costs, that could still be a lot of money for a family of 4.
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>>Firstly, 100-60=40. Secondly, it would be about the same as paying from paycheck in dollar terms. Beer is expensive too.
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>Not true unless you are comparing to the employee costs in a small business which typically has no bargaining power with the insurance company. Most larger companies pay 75-100% of the medical insurance costs for their employees. In my experience, the average for a large company is 75%. The employee typically only pays 25% of the cost for the coverage and that is with no or a very low deductible and a small copay of usually $20-25 per doctor visit.

$20-25 is not small if one visits doctors often enough. Current trend for companies, including larger ones, to increase employee share. My family pays 50% insurance cost. Frankly, we could select another plan (employer offers choices) and/or pay lower percentage for worse plan. We took more expensive, it's our choice.