Snap Fact #236 - Another Reason to Love ObamaCare: 3 Million Young Americans Now Have Health Insurance That Did Not Have It Before!
Post date: Jul 03, 2012 3:44:34 PM
Snap Fact #236
Another Reason to Love ObamaCare: 3 Million Young Americans Now Have Health Insurance That Did Not Have It Before!
Eleven percent more young adults, ages 19 – 25, totaling more than 3.1 million young Americans, are now covered by their parents' medical insurance policies by virtue of a provision in the 2010 health care law. This provision of ObamaCare became effective in June 2012.
When ObamaCare was passed there were 2.5 million young people covered. The increase has brought the percentage up from 64% to 75%.
"This policy doesn't just give young adults and their families peace of mind, it also gives them freedom," said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, hitting upon a note often struck by Democrats making the case that the law allows young people to pursue entrepreneurial careers that may not give them health benefits. "They will be free to make choices based on what they want to do, not on where they can get health insurance."
With all the gnashing of teeth about ObamaCare, when the issues are broken down, as we have done in our series, most folks are very happy with each of the provisions. It is only when the shameless distortions of the right are drilled into people’s heads until they thoughtlessly believe that ObamaCare is actually bad for them.
When examined for what it is these same people have the opportunity to actually understand that ObamaCare is good for them – and will be better when the President gets a supportive congress with his second term.
This particular provision is very popular with American voters. It is also popular with employers and insurance companies who say they intend to will keep this benefit alive, even if the Supreme Court should nix the Health Care bill. One aspect that the insurance companies, including Aetna, Humana, and UnitedHealth Group, love is the addition of more healthy individuals to their rolls.
There is much sentiment that costs will go down for everybody with the addition of these young healthy new consumers paying their premiums.
"It is striking and very heartening to know that 3 million young adults have gained financial and health security," said Richard Kronick, deputy assistant secretary for health policy for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "I'm not sure I've ever seen a result quite so striking in such a short period of time."
So where does Governor Romney stand? Though he has called for the law to be "repealed and replaced," the Republican presidential candidate has not said whether he would try to keep this popular portion of the law or not.