Solving the Health Insurance Problem - One Step at a Time

I was reading an interesting thread about Health Coverage and Pre-Existing Conditions. (Retirement is great, but you do - at times - find yourself meandering around the Internet with little purpose, but a lot of entertainment).

One commenter made a good point - if you are suddenly unemployed (and previously had health coverage), you are offered quite expensive coverage as your only option, at a time when you have LESS money to pay for it. So, many forego the coverage, and cross their fingers.

Sometimes, it works out.

Sometimes, it bites you in the butt.

I had an epiphany - why don't states offer access to Medicaid-level insurance - for a price comparable to employer-subsidized coverage - to those people on unemployment, who haven't access to a family member's health care? It would be ultimately cheaper than for those people to drop coverage entirely, and risk losing access to insurance.

Put a limit on how long it is available - perhaps with an increased price over time, to encourage people to take a job. That won't help everyone, but it will cover quite a few.