On Tuesday, President Obama is expected to sign into law the Stimulus Bill that Congress approved last week. The 1,000 page bill is complex and multifaceted, but for the members of SleepGuide.com, I wanted to highlight that it contains a provision that may help some of our members get diagnosed and treated for Sleep Apnea. Basically, for those who are laid off from their jobs between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009, the federal government will pay 65 percent of your COBRA premiums for up to nine months. Also, anyone who was laid off since September who had initially declined COBRA, but in light of the new rule making would like to elect it, will have an additional 60 day period to elect it. The subsidy isn't available to workers whose income in the year they would receive it exceeds $125,000 for individuals and $250,000 for families.

The average family's COBRA premium is about $1,000 a month without the subsidy; with the subsidy it would be reduced to $350 a month.

Something to consider as you make choices about how and whether to do something about your Sleep Apnea in light of current economic circumstances. . .