Way #2: Coverage for Young Adults
Whereas the benefit we featured yesterday, Maintenance of Effort, was an important but seldom talked about features of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), #2 is one of the ACA’s most widely supported provisions. And with good reason! Young adults have traditionally been the least likely population to have insurance. With today’s economic climate, even more young adults than usual are unemployed or underemployed, making it increasingly difficult for them to find health insurance through an employer. Since September 2010, young adults have been allowed to stay on their parent’s plan until their 26th birthday thanks to the ACA.
Unfortunately, there is a misconception that young adults are healthier and therefore uninterested in health care coverage. This couldn’t be further from the truth, as evidenced by the large numbers of young adults taking advantage of this benefit. As we mentioned in another recent blog post, the Commonwealth Fund concluded that the number of young adults covered by their parent’s health plan grew by about 6.6 million between November 2010 and November 2011.
Young adults without health insurance get sicker than those who do have coverage. They account for the highest number of injury-related emergency room visits, and 15% of young adults are living with a chronic illness. For these reasons, allowing young adults in Wisconsin to have an insurance option through their parents’ plan is an ACA benefit that is greatly appreciated. It prevents young adults from financial ruin if something happens, and gives parents peace of mind knowing that their children are protected.
Lacy Langbecker
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As we wait anxiously for the Supreme Court to issue their decision on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), we know that children and families in Wisconsin are already benefiting from the law. It is important to recognize these ways in which the ACA is already making an impact and what could be lost if the Court strikes down the whole law. Over the next couple weeks, the WisKids blog will do just that – by highlighting what we think are the top ten ways children and families in Wisconsin are already benefiting from the health care reform law.
