THE INCREASE IN HEALTHCARE COVERAGE FOR YOUNG ADULTS

Christina Allen

Melissa Tobias

WHAT IS ACA? Patient Protection and Affordable Care

Act (PPACA)Also commonly referred to as

Obamacare Affordable Care Act (ACA)

HEALTHCARE & OUR FAMILIES

In 1960 an average of $147 was spend per person on healthcare in the United States. In 2009 that number had increased to $8,086.

In the past year, 53% of Americans say their household cut back on health care due to cost concerns.

Premiums are high because of a “hidden insurance tax” of more than $1,000 added onto every family policy that covers the cost of care for those without insurance.

At least 46 million Americans are uninsured with more than 85% of whom are in working families

The average family of 4 spends about $20,728 per year on healthcare. That’s more than 7 times what the average household spends annually on gas ($2,912)

60% of all personal bankruptcies filed in 2007 were related to healthcare costs

HEALTHCARE & OUR FAMILIESWithout healthcare reform: Family premiums are projected to

increase an average of $1,800 each year

The number of uninsured Americans will reach 61 million by 2020

With employers unable to afford rising healthcare costs, the United States could see an additional 3.5 million unemployed and without benefits in the next 4 years

QUICK FACTS ABOUT ACA Bill was put into place March 23, 2010

by President Obama to implement the ACA

The ACA is the biggest change to the United States healthcare system since the initiation of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965

Some goals:Make healthcare insurance plans more

affordableOffer insurance plans to the uninsured

populationOff the same rate of coverage to all

applicants Regardless of pre-existing conditions or sex

KEY FEATURES OF THE ACA

QUICK FACTS CONTINUED

Since implementation of ACA the percentage of uninsured Americans has dropped from 18% in 2013 to 13.4% as of May 2014

In Pennsylvania alone 318,077 individuals selected a Marketplace plan offered by ACA

54% are female / 46% are male 33% are under the age of 35 30% are between the ages of 18 and 34 81% selected a plan with financial assistance

ACA COVERAGE FOR YOUNG ADULTS Prior to ACA, insurance companies could

remove children from their parents health insurance at the age of 19

Since implementation of ACA, young adults are now able to stay on their parents health insurance until the age of 26

Benefits young adults as they try to figure out what they want to do with their future

Further education Work

ACA COVERAGE FOR YOUNG ADULTS New healthcare law benefits many young

adults including: Married Not living with their parent Attending school Not financially dependent on their parents Eligible to enroll in their employer’s plan

According to National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 3.1 million additional young adults have insurance coverage since December 2011

About 30% of young adults are uninsured and 1 in 6 have a chronic illness like cancer, diabetes or asthma

BARRIERS TO PROLONGING COVERAGE FOR YOUNG ADULTS Young adults becoming lazy after graduation from

high school because there isn’t an immediate pressure to find a job or begin a career for health insurance

It is often said this generation being raised is used to having things handed to them, little work required on their part to get what they want This work ethic could spill over into their adult years

Fewer employers could offer health insurance because they know they can be covered under their parents until the age of 26 Creates a loophole for the employer

Being on parents health insurance for an extended period of time could make it harder to switch over onto their own when they turn 26

POSSIBLE REVISIONS A proposal to modify the lawn to include young

adults on their parents healthcare insurance until the age of 23 could help avoid some of the negative impacts

Adjusting the age to 23 would allow all children an average amount of time to adjust to young adulthood Whether in college full-time or working it would give each

young adult about 5 years after high school to figure out what is best for their individual needs

Allows for less time for the young adult to become “lazy”. Motivates them to establish themselves in a reasonable amount of time. Less likely to be denied due to being on parents insurance

for extended amount of time or any pre-existing conditions

REFERENCES Blumenthal D, Collins SR (2014).

"Health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act--a progress report.". N Engl J Med 371 (3): 275–81. doi:10.1056/NEJMhpr1405667

How the Health Care Law is Making a Difference for the People of Pennsylvania. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/facts/bystate/pa.html

State-level estimates of gains in insurance coverage amount young adults. (2012). Retrieved

from http://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/facts/factsheets/2012/06/young-adults06192012a.html

Young adults and the affordable care act: Protecting young adults and eliminating burdens on

families and businesses. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Resources/Files/

adult_child_fact_sheet.html Young adult coverage. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/rights/youngadults/