In 2008, before Congress created the new 65% group health benefits continuation subsidy, few eligible departing workers were signing up for COBRA benefits, a research service reports.
Spencer's Benefits Reports, Riverwoods, Ill., says about 17% of U.S. employees became eligible for continuation benefits under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act in 2008.
Only about 9.7% of the departing workers who were eligible for COBRA benefits signed up for coverage, according to Spencer's, a unit of Wolters Kluwer.
