Matlock, bingo and health care reform have one thing in common.
If you are young, it’s that all three probably do not tickle your fancy, which is a real shame.
No, not because you are missing the classic antics of Matlock. What is troubling is that, by ignoring the health reform debate, young people risk being screwed in a big way. That spells trouble for everyone.
Last week, the Senate finance committee became the fifth and final panel to approve a health care bill, a huge step forward for reform. Meanwhile, only 1 in 3 adults under the age of 30 have heard much about the health care debate, according to a Pew Research Center poll completed in August.
It might not be a coincidence then that the current phase of the legislative process has taken a nasty turn for young Americans.
Reform bills require the nation’s roughly 45 million uninsured, nearly half of whom are young adults aged 19 to 29, to buy insurance.
The mandate itself is a good idea, but Jonathan Oberlander, an associate professor of political science at UNC, worries that the new rules will punish the uninsured with the choice of accepting paltry insurance plans or coughing up a hefty fine — up to $750 a year in the finance committee bill.
Oberlander says that if the fine is cheaper than insurance premiums, many of the young uninsured will opt for the penalty. Without young, healthy payers bringing down risk in the insurance pool, it might be harder for politicians to deliver on promises of affordable coverage for all.
Solutions have emerged such as the “young invincibles” plan, which would cover catastrophic claims and some preventative check-ups but not prescription drugs. While this plan might be more affordable for young people, it would leave them with little coverage when they did get sick, which occurs more than you might think.
Fifteen percent of adults age 18 to 29 suffer from arthritis, asthma, diabetes, heart disease or hypertension. This plan’s catastrophic coverage would only pay for emergencies and extreme illness, not chronic conditions.
Without full coverage for preventative care and prescription drugs, there is no guarantee that young people would pay for treatment that could prevent serious complications down the line.
Let’s face it, young people risk infecting their computers with viruses by illegally downloading music to avoid paying iTunes’ 99 cents. Many will probably do the same with their bodies to sidestep co-pays.
Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and others are attacking aged-based health insurance pricing, which he calls age discrimination. His approach might make coverage less affordable for young people.
But differential pricing makes sense, since health declines with age. Raising the cost burden for young people would only lead to more people going without insurance.
Considering the cost trends, complete failure to reform is the worst-case scenario for America’s youth. But they should still demand sufficient, affordable coverage, and Congress should listen.
Oberlander says that no matter what, compromises will be made.
“We’re not going to get the whole loaf of bread. We need to decide if we get three-fourths a loaf, half a loaf or a mini-baguette,” he said.
Without input and support from young Americans, there will be much less on the table.
Andrew Moon is a second-year medical student from Durham. Contact Andrew at andrew_moon@med.unc.Edu