ObamaCare's surprising demographic pitfall: Young people

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

http://news.yahoo.com/obamacare-39-surprising-demographic-pitfall-young-people-111000630.html

"Actuarial Death Spiral" Mmmmm. Nice.

The people least informed about the law were its biggest supporters...until they had to pony up some $$$. Who knew? At least, for once, the real cost of welfare will be known and you will have to write a check for it every month. Coming soon...payroll withholding. Hey, you do it now, right?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Actually, being rather younger than the OP I feel I can share more light on this, at least a more logical light.

The first job I had in the USA was an hourly rate retail job in LA. Most of the people who worked there (who were in the 18-29 age range) were either in college or otherwise worked two or three other jobs to make ends meet. In both cases, noone made a huge amount of money. As far as healthcare went, the prevailing attitude I encountered was that they wanted health coverage but were put off of buying health insurance because it was cost prohibitive to their income level. At that point the rationale was that they were unlikely to get sick so health insurance was a nice to have.

That's a totally different attitude to the one I was brought up with - which was that access to affordable healthcare is assumed (and a guarantee - not unlike education). I actually had people tell me that they'd rather take their chances than get entangled in the healthcare system (even if there was a risk that they could have cancer or some other life-threatening condition) because they associated it with financial ruin.

I personally don't know if 'young' people were the biggest supporters of the health reform bill. I'd imagine a lot of people who support Obama probably don't read too deeply into what is actually being proposed (especially as so much of what is proposed appears to happen behind closed doors).

Of course that merely describes a genuine lack of real engagement with politics in general than with a specific gripe against the current administration.

[GandD 5,966]

Right, so now the risk for them "hedging their bet" is not so high for them passing along costs to the insured folks via loftier premiums of "adjusted" hospital bills. Good. I'm not sure why you posted this in a negative light. This is probably one of the best features of the ACA IMO.

[lostinblue 1,989]

They elected the kenyan because he was supposed to 'fundamentally transform America'. Trouble is, when that hit their pocketbooks, they are much less likely to approve.They had no idea that today and will be well into the future THEY will be ...paying for government central planning......... soviet style....... A few years from now when Americans will wait a half a year for simple medical care is when they really will wake up......

[GandD 5,966]

They elected the kenyan because he was supposed to 'fundamentally transform America'. Trouble is, when that hit their pocketbooks, they are much less likely to approve.They had no idea that today and will be well into the future THEY will be ...paying for government central planning......... soviet style....... A few years from now when Americans will wait a half a year for simple medical care is when they really will wake up......

$50 the democrats do not turn the US into soviet Russia. You game?

[mota bhai 2,675]

I was looking up Marketplace plan premiums if I ever had to buy. Of course I would get no subsidy. And having worked for nice companies all along, I am accustomed to plans the ACA labels as Gold.

Living where I do now (central jersey), I'd be looking at a monthly premium of about 1 thousand.

If I moved 45 miles west across the border into PA, a comparable plan comes with a monthly premium of just over 500.

I was like, goddamn! Jersey really does suck.

[Teddy B 17,252]

I was looking up Marketplace plan premiums if I ever had to buy. Of course I would get no subsidy. And having worked for nice companies all along, I am accustomed to plans the ACA labels as Gold.

Living where I do now (central jersey), I'd be looking at a monthly premium of about 1 thousand.

If I moved 45 miles west across the border into PA, a comparable plan comes with a monthly premium of just over 500.

I was like, goddamn! Jersey really does suck.

Aren't all one percenters?

[Umka36 781]

I wish that was true.

Edited December 5, 2013 by Umka36

[decocker 7,198]

I wish that was true.

what exactly?

[Umka36 781]

People with gold plans under ACA are one percenters.

[mota bhai 2,675]

Oh yeah, I wish I was a one percenter. But I slack off too much (clearly) to get that high. I'm maybe three promotions away but I'll never make it.

[decocker 7,198]

Oh yeah, I wish I was a one percenter. But I slack off too much (clearly) to get that high. I'm maybe three promotions away but I'll never make it.

i thought getting that high was the premise of slacking.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

They elected the kenyan because he was supposed to 'fundamentally transform America'. Trouble is, when that hit their pocketbooks, they are much less likely to approve.They had no idea that today and will be well into the future THEY will be ...paying for government central planning......... soviet style....... A few years from now when Americans will wait a half a year for simple medical care is when they really will wake up......

No, you're wrong.

No-one makes day-to-day life decisions for ideological reasons. I know I don't.

Do you honestly think that someone decides one morning to get health insurance because their political compass tells them to do it? It's completely irrelevant to the decision. I get travel insurance not because I agree with the concept of it but because it's the responsible thing to do.

Obviously if you are used to not having health insurance because it means a few hundred $$$ extra a month to live on (in the same way that people opt out of pensions or add extra deductions on their income tax), then suddenly not having that money is going to be a shock.

That's not about ideology - it's about practicality.

Was Obama elected on a wave of rhetoric and jingoism? Sure.

Does the fact that young people (many of whom had nil or limited health coverage before the bill came into law) aren't au-fait with new healthcare legislation mean anything more than apathy? No, it does not.

[mota bhai 2,675]

i thought getting that high was the premise of slacking.

Nah, the senior management types in companies I've worked in are always working.

[GandD 5,966]

You want to know what really scares lost? Like completely terrifies him?:

ESPECIALLY if paired with this:

Edited December 5, 2013 by GandD