NEW DATA: 6.6 Million Young Adults Insured Thanks to Obamacare

[kpete]

Source: Think Progress

NEW DATA: 6.6 Million Young Adults Insured Thanks to Obamacare
By Guest Blogger on Jun 8, 2012 at 11:02 am

Even though much of the Affordable Care Act does not go into effect into 2014, conservatives insist the bill is making things worse for Americans. But a new study shows that one implemented provision of the ACA is already providing millions of young Americans with health insurance.

According to a study by the Commonwealth Fund, 6.6 million young adults have signed up for coverage through their parents’ health insurance plans. Under the ACA provision, young people can now stay on their parents’ plans until the age of 26. About half of the 19-to-25 year-olds interviewed for the study reported opting in to their parents’ plans between November 2010 and November 2011.

Last month, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Education Secretary Arne Duncan wrote college presidents and student organizations urging them to remind students they can stay on their parents’ plans after graduation. “Now, graduating students are free to make career choices based on what they want to do, not where they can get health insurance,” they wrote.

Some of President Obama’s staunchest critics are also beginning to realize the benefit of increased young people in insurance pools. Republican Senators Scott Brown and Roy Blunt broke ranks to speak approvingly of the provision. Even Tea Party favorite Rep. Allen West signaled his support of the measure in an interview with ThinkProgress.

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/06/08/496592/new-data-66-million-young-adults-insured-thanks-to-obamacare/

[onehandle]

1. Mitt Romney and his Republican Congress Want to Uninsure Your Child. nt

[geardaddy]

2. This should be the battle cry. n/t

[madashelltoo]

11. Cry all you want . . .

they don't care. Their objective is to get rid of Obama . . . period. If you die on the road to doing that, so be it. The sad part about it is, even if they get rid of Obama, you're still going to die in the same or a much worse condition.

[geardaddy]

15. Just let's give up, then.

Gotcha.

[nxylas]

7. Unless it would hurt him electorally

In which case, remember it was Romney's idea in the first place.

[kestrel91316]

3. That SHOULD translate into 6.6 million votes for the man......

but this is the USA, the land of the stupid and the home of the birthers, so it won't.

[rfranklin]

4. "I'm young and healthy. I don't need insurance..."

That's the thought process of a 22 year old who would rather have the premium payment to spend a night our with friends.

[happynewyear]

6. You are right

I sure would not have paid a rather large premium to be insured when I was 22 years old. I was invincible after all I thought at that age.

However, being I was employed full-time and had a crap job that had benefits, my butt was covered.

As for good old mom and dad, well they could have cared less and sure were not going to pay premiums for health care for me.

It was "go out and get a job" which is exactly what I had to do.

As for Obamacare, I am unimpressed so far with it being I cannot even get a prescription filled these days (and yes, I have insurance) being the drug companies call all of the corporate shots.

[SoutherDem]

13. Clarification needed.

As for Obamacare, I am unimpressed so far with it being I cannot even get a prescription filled these days (and yes, I have insurance) being the drug companies call all of the corporate shots.

Are you now not able to get perceptions that you were before "Obamacare" was passed?

[happynewyear]

21. if you mean prescriptions

The answer to your question is yes, same prescription. I'm now on the 3rd appeal level now in fact.

I have written a letter and sent a copy of it to Pres. Obama, etc. We'll see if I get a reply.

[SoutherDem]

22. Honestly I don't know if that is from the ACA

I don't think any part which would affect prescriptions (got it right that time, I hope) has gone into affect yet. I know policies change each year and employers make changes each year. They may blame the ACA but they wouldn't be true.
I would think it is more your employer wanting to save money or the insurance company wanting to save money/make more profit would more be the reason.
Also, I know the company I was with stated they considered themselves to be a "grandfathered" plan and was exempt from many of the changes which did go into effect.

[ehrnst]

41. That's your employer's decision, and not the ACA.(nt)

[ehrnst]

17. How does "Obamacare" prevent you from getting a prescription filled?

Has your employer stopped carrying coverage for prescriptions? That's not "Obamacare" - that's your employer's decision concerning what coverage you get.

[ehrnst]

14. It's also the thought of a 22 year old who is facing loan payments

and has to choose between health insurance and student loans.

That's what I did, and at age 25 landed in the hospital with two bleeding ulcers - and spend years paying off the medical bills, because I made what I believed to be the responsible choice.

[The Wielding Truth]

16. BS. Everyone needs insurance.A catastrophic illness can break even the wealthiest person.

[bvar22]

23. A catastrophic illness can break even the wealthiest person WITH Insurance.

"Medical Bankruptcy" is a term unknown in civilized countries,
but will STILL be Big Business if the USA even AFTER all then provisions of the ACA are enacted.

It may even be bigger business as 40 - 70 Million Americans try to convert their mandatory "Bronze" "insurance" into actual Health Care.



You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
[font size=5 color=green]Solidarity99![/font][font size=2 color=green]
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[Comrade Grumpy]

32. No, everyone needs healthcare. And it should be national health care.

Tax me to pay for it; I'm fine with that. Beats the hell out of paying out to those parasitical insurance companies.

[CreekDog]

28. half of them signing up says you're wrong about half of them

how does one read the article and still pos what you posted?

[rfranklin]

29. The glass is half full ....the glass is half empty...

The fact that we are now mandated to use to the crappy "Health" insurance companies is not especially great but because I support democrats I will go along with it. I just hope that we will see single payer for all in my lifetime.

[CreekDog]

33. Do you have insurance?

I prefer sibgle payer too, but im not going to minimize a bunch of young people getting group health care coverage. That is a big deal!

[cilla4progress]

5. So true.

I learned this week that a dear friend has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Her treatment will cost $400,000! Fortunately for her, at age 65, she is on Medicare, and has a secondary policy through her husband's former job for the federal government (they are both retired).

My insurance tops out at $100,000 a year. What will I do if I develop something like what she has? Who has that kind of money? I wish I qualified for Medicare!

[canuckledragger]

8. got to get the framing right on this one:

"Even though much of the Affordable Care Act does not go into effect into 2014, conservatives insist the bill is making things worse for Americans. "


That would be certain RICH americans (& Canadians, our system & slowly being attacked by conservative 'leadership' as well) that stand to lose money by not being able to extort as much as they WANT to.

[Scurrilous]

9. K & R

[HopeHoops]

10. My eldest daughter (upcoming college senior) is one of them.

[LuckyLib]

12. Call out relatives, co-workers, neighbors who are

knee-jerk conservatives, but whose twenty-something is covered under the Obama plan. One major accident or illness, and if not for coverage, they'd be footing a huge bill. Medical bankruptcy is real in this country -- a sad statement of who we are as a country.

[PossumSqueezins]

18. Dems need to stop letting Rethugs control the debate on this

We need to educate and remind the stupid people opposed to the Affordable Care Act all of the benefits that many of them are now enjoying because of this legislation. Here's a few:

1) Health insurers cannot deny children insurance because of pre-existing conditions. A ban on the same discrimination against adults will take effect in 2014.
2)Businesses with fewer than 50 employees will receive tax credits covering up to 50 percent of employee premiums.
3)Seniors will receive a rebate to fill the "donut hole" in Medicare drug coverage, which severely limits prescription medication coverage of expenditures over $2,700. As of next year, 50 percent of the donut hole will be filled.
4)The cut-off age for young adults to continue to be covered by their parents' health insurance rises to age 27.
5)Lifetime caps on the amount of insurance payout an individual can receive will be banned. Annual caps will be limited, and banned in 2014. Particularly beheficial for mental illness and catastrophic illnesses.
6) A temporary high-risk pool will be set up to cover adults with pre-existing conditions. Health care exchanges will eliminate the program in 2014.
7)New plans must cover checkups and other preventative care without co-pays. All plans will be affected by 2018.
8)Insurance companies can no longer drop someone when he or she gets sick.
9)Transparency: Insurers must now reveal how much money is spent on overhead.
10) Any new plan must now implement an appeals process for coverage determinations and claims.
11) More insurance money spent on care: Nonprofit Blue Cross organizations will be required to maintain a medical loss ratio -- money spent on procedures over money incoming -- of 85 percent or higher to take advantage of IRS tax benefits.
12)The law establishes a temporary program for companies that provide early retiree health benefits for those ages 55‐64 in order to help reduce the often-expensive cost of that coverage.
13) Information will be available: The Department of Health and Human Services will set up a new website to make it easy for Americans in any state to seek out affordable health insurance options The site will also include helpful information for small businesses.
14) Research incentives: A two‐year temporary credit (up to a maximum of $1 billion) is in the law to encourage investment in new therapies for the prevention and treatment of diseases.


While the act does not go far enough for most of us, the vast majority of Americans will be receiving better and more affordable health care because of it.

[Kablooie]

26. The R's control the debate on most topics. Having a 24/7 propaganda channel makes a difference.

[shanti]

19. my youngest son

22, is taking advantage of this, and is still on my plan. i remember when i was a young mother in my 20's without health insurance. it was nerve-wracking to think that ANYTHING could happen to me or my children and we would be SOL. the youth don't consider that even though they are mostly healthy at their age, there are other factors, higher risk taking, in particular, where they NEED the coverage!

[LiberalEsto]

20. My younger daughter turns 26 in October

Last edited Sat Jun 9, 2012, 04:00 PM - Edit history (1)

and I don't know what we can do when her heal;th insurance coverage ends.
Unless by some great miracle she finds a job with health benefits.

Having the Obamacare extension for the past few years has been a great relief.

[RayStar]

24. Grandson

I am so thankful to President Obama for the health reform. My eighteen year old g/son has seizures and his meds costs $400.00 a month. He is covered under his mom's protection.

[Kablooie]

25. My daughter (24) was just laid off along with all her co-workers.

Cobra is 500$ a month which she certainly can't afford when she's out of work.

Because of Obama's ACA we are able to put her back on my insurance plan.

It will be awful if those old men kill it.

[just1voice]

27. Old data: 314 million Americans insured if there was universal health care

Fck what conservatives blather on about, most people want universal health care. Making a conservative talking point the focus of a discussion is a technique front groups use to distract from the real topic.

[ethanwashere]

30. fhkafj

OBAMA IS PUUR EVIILLL!!! an elitist signing healthcare bill when the american people don't want it (/sarcasm- I've heard conservatives actually say this though)

[magic59]

31. Start taxing the filthy rich and quit going to war at the drop of a hat

and all Americans could be covered, is that too much to ask?

[tabasco]

34. Better not be any of those rugged individualist republicans signed up for it!

They can give themselves stitches with sewing needles.

[rapturedbyrobots]

36. when the cost for 6 stitches is over $600

WITH insurance. I'd go with the sewing needle.

[tabasco]

39. Sure ya' would, Sparky

Sure ya' would.

[rapturedbyrobots]

35. what about health CARE?

why do these people ALL need insurance? i understand the argument about catastrophic events. but seriously, what percentage of these young, presumably mostly healthy demographic will actually suffer those events?

and what is the cost to the all of us for insurance that does not necessarily equate to health CARE?

case in point. i pay $75 per month through my job for insurance. i went to a doctor in network and paid a $50 copay. then got billed $125 for a medically justified biopsy (the insurance company covered about $20 of that). overall i paid $250 for that single visit...with insurance. out of curiosity i later asked the doctor's office what the cash pay off rate would have been. $100. i paid over 2X for the same services. thanks insurance!

health insurance does not equal health care...and in some cases just getting the care directly is more affordable.

[Paka]

37. My rw sister and her husband have at least three...

maybe four grandchildren who benefit from the ACA, not to mention that the two of them are on Medicare, and yet she rants on and on about the evils of ObamaCare. Go figure???

[JDPriestly]

38. This is good news, but I really wish that the entire reform were already in place

and up and running. It is ridiculous that it is taking so long. This means so many people are still without adequate health care -- people who will have it in 2014.

People are dying while this program slowly become reality. This is not good. Obama's key program, and not that very many people can experience the benefits.

6.6 million people sounds like a lot until you think that the population of the US is over 313 million.

http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html

[woo me with science]

40. They managed to mandate that

*every single American* purchase an outrageously overpriced corporate product for their *entire lives.*

Think about that. What a coup for the one percent. This sort of mandate to buy is unprecedented.

The mandate was the goal all along, and it was planned by corporatists in both parties to profit the insurance companies, period. They knew from the outset that neither side out in America would want it, but they fired up one side with the promise of universal health care and the other side with the fear of government-run health care, and they orchestrated a "compromise" that they knew neither side would want, but that the insurance companies did. That is why it was never presented honestly and why we got the Kabuki theater of the negotiations.

And now healthcare costs continue to spiral, medical bankruptcies continue to increase, and there is no plan to fix this on the horizon. It was a brilliant, bipartisan corporate scam.