Health Care Reform News for those Under 30.
Under 30? Here's What You Need To Know On Health Care Reform
From: Real Health Care Reform
The health care reform law, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), tends to increase health insurance premiums for people who are young and healthy. According to the CBO, health insurance premiums will rise ten to thirteen percent, unless you qualify for the subsidy, while you’re still shy of 30. I predict that for most, it will unfortunately be much ore than that.
The CBO estimates about 57 percent of customers will receive federal tax credits that will cover almost two-thirds of their total premiums. This could reduce costs below what is being charged for such policies now, depending on your income level. The law has set up four levels of health benefits: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. Tax credits are intended to cap health insurance premiums at between two percent and 9.5 percent of your income, based on the cost of the silver option.
New Special Rules For Young Adults
If you’re under 30, you have an option that’s not available to older people under Obamacare. High-deductible plans that aren’t generally available will continue to be for young adults. That’s true, in part, because it’s anticipated that most of them will require less health care than older individuals who develop chronic, expensive health problems. And, since high deductibles equate to lower premiums, the writers of this law are hoping this will convince healthy young people to invest in coverage.
Even though the state health insurance exchanges, which will start operation in October, will be offering catastrophic health plans with minimal coverage for persons under 30, tax credits won’t be available to offset the price of premiums. Catastrophic coverage prices are typically on the low end, anyway.
Existing Rules That Remain In Force
Like all other plans, these policies will completely cover recommended preventive health care services even when the deductible has not been met if: (1) you go to an in-network doctor, and (2) the services are billed by the provider as preventive, instead of diagnostic.
Once someone reaches age 30, they will be required to purchase a more expensive, lower deductible plan.
