Health care signups: More older Americans so far

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

WASHINGTON (AP) - It's an older, costlier crowd that's signing up so far for health insurance under President Barack Obama's law, according to government figures released Monday. Enrollments are lower for the healthy, younger Americans who will be needed to keep premiums from rising.

Young adults from 18 to 34 are only 24 percent of total enrollment, the administration said in its first signup figures broken down for age, gender and other details. With the HealthCare.gov website now working, the figures cover the more than 2 million Americans who had signed up for government-subsidized private insurance through the end of December in new federal and state markets.

Enrolling young and healthy people is important because they generally pay more into the system than they take out, subsidizing older adults. While 24 percent is not a bad start, say independent experts, it should be closer to 40 percent to help keep premiums down.

Adults ages 55-64 were the most heavily represented in the signups, accounting for 33 percent of the total. Overall, the premiums paid by people in that demographic don't fully cover their medical expenses. Some are in the waiting room for Medicare; that coverage starts at age 65.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140114/DABA9ME00.html

[Kablooie]

1. The penalty for not signing up is only 95$ this year so I wouldn't expect many young to sign up.

Next year it will be few hundred dollars so there will be more younger sign ups.
Soon after it becomes a real expense. At that point many young peeps will decide it's worth it to pay a little more to get medical care.

Nothing surprising about this at all.

[Skittles]

16. many people like to see it in action too, before they sign up

yup

[Iliyah]

2. Not surprising at all but

corporate media is making it a big deal.

[FrodosPet]

3. I will try again next year

I signed up, but financially, I just cannot afford the premiums right now. So I will be cancelled on the 31st.

It looks like I have one more year of dollar store aspirin as my primary care giver.

[Psephos]

4. Hey, chin up.

I lost my insurance due to ACA myself. You and me now have the same doctor.

Stay strong. And write a few letters to your representative. The law needs serious patching.

[jenmito]

5. Why would 18-25-year-olds sign up? Don't they get to stay on their parents' insurance? n/t

[Iliyah]

6. Yep.

[jenmito]

7. So then why would ANYONE under 26 sign up? n/t

[christx30]

8. Further,

if they are counting on the young and healthy to defray the cost of care for older, unhealthy people, how will it work if people 18-26 aren't buying coverage or are covered under their parents' plans?

[jenmito]

9. Either the administration or the AP must've meant to write "26-34 year-olds." n/t

[mucifer]

10. Not all parents are insured. Not everyone has a great relationship

with their parents. There may be some 26 year olds who have better insurance than their parents.

[jenmito]

11. Ah. True. THANKS! n/t

[davidthegnome]

12. I'd love to sign up.

I tried it, a few weeks ago. Turns out this young person's income is too low for Obamacare - I was told to apply for Maine-Care, our state insurance program. I did mention to the nice lady on the phone that I'd applied three times in two years and been rejected each time, but...

For some of us, there really aren't any solutions. Thanks to these damned republicans, a whole lot of people will be working, without health insurance, until they get sick, possibly become bankrupt, and eventually die. Good thing my parents let me live with them.

Fuck you LePage. In fact, I'm in a generous mood tonight - fuck all republicans, everywhere.

[Skittles]

13. gee I cannt imagine why more older folk would sign up for health care than young folk!

whatever could be the reason?

[dencol]

14. Because younger people are getting shafted

I'm all for socialized medication. This should all be taken care of automatically through progressive taxes, but let's face it - younger people are getting screwed. We're paying into these systems that probably won't be there when we need them. At 31 years old, I sincerely doubt I will see any meaningful social security payments after contributing my entire life. Our sense of a social contract is being destroyed, so people my age and younger are starting to get a very real sense that we're on our own. We're now expected to subsidize even more by generations that have over-consumed and wrecked our economy and natural resources, leaving us with relatively little.

Let's fix this mess and socialize medicine, REDUCE the retirement age so young professionals have opportunities, and redirect money from the DoD to science, innovation, and manufacturing.

[Skittles]

15. stop blaming Boomers

Last edited Tue Jan 14, 2014, 04:44 AM - Edit history (2)

I've worked full time for 38 years and believe me, I am getting shafted royally too, as are many Boomers. It's the 1% who is fucking us, not Boomers.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024323438#post1