I’ve read and heard lately that health care reform is dead, but I have a hard time believing this. Most people I talk to say that the anticipated outcomes of health care reform are still relevant. There are currently nearly 15 million unemployed Americans right now and more layoffs are expected each month. Many of these people and their families are left without company-sponsored health insurance. If they’re really unlucky and also have a pre-existing condition (you know, the people who need health insurance the most), they may be hard-pressed to find anything affordable.

Wouldn’t it be great if unemployed Americans had the option to purchase health insurance through the government? They’re not looking for a free handout, but something that would guarantee them health care coverage until they can land another job. Or start their own business (you know, the kind of thing that can invigorate an economy).

It’s no doubt that unemployed Americans have it tough. But to add insult to injury, they may also now be losing other important access to health care through COBRA. On Thursday, Senator Bunning (R-KY) stood in the way of several critical extensions that would benefit the middle class, including eligibility for COBRA tax credits for health coverage created by the Recovery Act. This might take effect as soon as Monday.

CNN reported how Senator Lieberman (I-CT) told us in November to forget about a government-run public health insurance option or an alternative expansion of Medicare to people as young as 55. Jason Rosenbaum reported in the Huffington Post how Senator Grassley (R-IA) told an unemployed Iowan to get a job at John Deere if he wanted health insurance. Rosenbaum noted that John Deere had just recently laid off hundreds of employees.  I don’t know about you, but it frustrates me to hear how members of Congress who have top-notch, government-sponsored health insurance (and who should be representing you and me), are blocking the way for Americans to have access to something as important as health care.

Some of the remaining components of health care reform are: greater regulation of insurance companies, cost controls and protection for people who are denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions, and extending coverage to about 30 million more Americans. So tell me, is health care reform still relevant to you?