Health-care reform will help young adults get coverage (Their Commiecare™ bill is still in the mail)

Times Dispatch ^ | 8/29/10 | TIMOTHY CHAPMAN, ALTHEA FUNG AND ALLISON CHOPIN

[Libloather]

Health-care reform will help young adults get coverage
By TIMOTHY CHAPMAN, ALTHEA FUNG AND ALLISON CHOPIN TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITERS
Published: August 29, 2010

**SNIP**

"Right now, at this band we make dirt," Dixon said. "As far as getting insurance, it's almost out of the question."

**SNIP**

New government regulations that go into effect Sept. 23 will allow young adults up to age 26 to join their parents' health-insurance plan.

Previously, young adults who went to college were kept on their parents' health-insurance plan until they graduated, dropped out or reached a specified age, whichever came first. Young adults who did not go to college were removed after turning 19.

Under the health-care reform law signed in March by President Barack Obama, all new health-insurance plans must offer extended dependent coverage, which the government estimates will provide insurance for 190,000 to 1.6 million young adults. Some already existing policies will not have to offer extended dependent coverage, but by 2014 all providers will offer dependent coverage.

There might be several reasons for the lack of health insurance among younger adults, said John Baumann, former executive director of the Fan Free Clinic in Richmond. Many are just starting their careers. Their jobs might not offer insurance benefits, and they don't yet make enough money to purchase insurance on their own. Young people might also be willing to take more risks with their health.

[Libloather]

RATS destroy their own.

[eclecticEel]

We need a new amendment. Anyone who’s 26 and still mooching off their parents isn’t allowed to vote.

[D-fendr]

The Obamacare laws that have gone into effect have made it near impossible for 18 year olds to get coverage - the gov. requirements make it most unlikely any policy can be offered: no underwriting, no previous condition waiver, mandated full coverage for everything...

It's probably likely the same fate is awaiting those affected by this change as well.

[poobear]

It is a tax. Period.

[exnavy]

That’s what the health care bill is really all about, the ruling class getting into your back pocket. That and controlling your behavior.

[poobear]

Guess I get to spend my last two decades of life in jail for not buying health insurance. Nice life of liberty while it lasted.

Aren’t you glad you spent time putting your @ss on the line for this?

[Brytani]

You’ll be in good company. There will be many of us locked up for refusing to go along with this crap.

[NonValueAdded]

Don’t these young, healthy 20-somethings know that their premiums are necessary to pay for the older folks in the risk pool? that when they match up the cost of carrying first-dollar coverage against self-insuring by paying for routine doctor visits (perhaps w/ some sort of low cost catastrophic policy), they will see that they are bleeding money into the system?

[Adder]

New government regulations that go into effect Sept. 23 will allow young adults up to age 26 to join their parents’ health-insurance plan.

OOOOO...I am all aflutter.

B
F
D

And any parent who falls for it has s_ _ _ for brains.....What is the point?????

[Spok]

The liberals use the term “coverage” synonymously with healthcare. The truth is that Americans are not denied healthcare based on their ability to pay, whether they're insured or not.

[reformedliberal]

Personally, I look at this with some optimism. We can network, organize and catch up on our reading. If we don't get at least 4-star accommodation and treatment, we can sue.