A Question about Obamacare

[JunkerGreen]

So I just turned 24, and while I personally have a preexisting condition and employer provided health insurance, for the purpose of this question I'm going to pretend I'm a healthy individual my age who doesn't have health insurance. My father was a retired city employee, which means that I am not eligible to go on to my parents plan, and I know many individuals my age who are in the same boat.

 

I also just ran the numbers for a married couple with $90,000 in income(which is about the average for my area), and whom are both 50 years old. The monthly premium for the 2 of them is about $600, but with an adult "child" on the plan, it bumps up to $900. Obviously, even though said child could remain on his/hers parents insurance, $300 is a considerable amount to pay per month, especially if the child is working and/or married. Since I can see MANY parents not putting their adult children on their insurance plan, particularly those with a higher level of income that doesn't qualify for the tax credits.

 

Unfortunately that means that the vast majority of young adults from middle class families, who are likely the healthiest, will be on their own and have to buy their own insurance. What possible motivation could a healthy, unmarried, and childless 18-25 year old have to buy a health insurance plan that he/she receives absolutely zero benefit from? Even if the monthly premium is under $50, I might as well be uninsured if I break my arm, because it's coming completely out of pocket.

 

So the question is, how does the ACA benefit young individuals? We're basically uninsured, because the majority of health care services people such as myself would ever use would have to be paid out of pocket, and most young adults don't have $5,000 sitting around to pay cash for medical services. What motivation do I have to shell out hundreds to thousands of dollars a year to cover the cost of someone else's health insurance?

[Nighthawk]

So I just turned 24, and while I personally have a preexisting condition and employer provided health insurance, for the purpose of this question I'm going to pretend I'm a healthy individual my age who doesn't have health insurance. My father was a retired city employee, which means that I am not eligible to go on to my parents plan, and I know many individuals my age who are in the same boat.

 

I also just ran the numbers for a married couple with $90,000 in income(which is about the average for my area), and whom are both 50 years old. The monthly premium for the 2 of them is about $600, but with an adult "child" on the plan, it bumps up to $900. Obviously, even though said child could remain on his/hers parents insurance, $300 is a considerable amount to pay per month, especially if the child is working and/or married. Since I can see MANY parents not putting their adult children on their insurance plan, particularly those with a higher level of income that doesn't qualify for the tax credits.

 

Unfortunately that means that the vast majority of young adults from middle class families, who are likely the healthiest, will be on their own and have to buy their own insurance. What possible motivation could a healthy, unmarried, and childless 18-25 year old have to buy a health insurance plan that he/she receives absolutely zero benefit from? Even if the monthly premium is under $50, I might as well be uninsured if I break my arm, because it's coming completely out of pocket.

 

So the question is, how does the ACA benefit young individuals? We're basically uninsured, because the majority of health care services people such as myself would ever use would have to be paid out of pocket, and most young adults don't have $5,000 sitting around to pay cash for medical services. What motivation do I have to shell out hundreds to thousands of dollars a year to cover the cost of someone else's health insurance?

Now that it is illegal for health insurance companies to "discriminate" against people with preexisting conditions, there is no logical reason on earth why a healthy person should buy insurance, unless they can receive high enough subsidies to make it cheaper than paying the small fine. If a healthy person gets sick or injured in a way that will be very expensive to treat, they can simply sign up for insurance, get their treatment, and then drop their insurance once they have finished with their treatment.

 

This is going to eventually cause premiums for insurance to skyrocket to the moon. It is complete insanity.

[crimsongulf]

Again, covering preexisting conditions is not insurance, it is welfare.

[king of the county]

You have to have insurance or pay a fine it's all part of spreading the wealth around

[JunkerGreen]

Now that it is illegal for health insurance companies to "discriminate" against people with preexisting conditions, there is no logical reason on earth why a healthy person should buy insurance, unless they can receive high enough subsidies to make it cheaper than paying the small fine. If a healthy person gets sick or injured in a way that will be very expensive to treat, they can simply sign up for insurance, get their treatment, and then drop their insurance once they have finished with their treatment.

 

This is going to eventually cause premiums for insurance to skyrocket to the moon. It is complete insanity.

 

That's my exact point.

 

If someone has to pay $5,000 out of pocket before they have "insurance", what's the point in having insurance unless you actually need it?