How Obamacare Act Helps Young Adults?

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care law monikered as Obamacare was passed on March 23 in the year 2010.  Since the draft was signed into law in 2010, the Affordable Care Act has already expanded its access to high-quality, affordable health care coverage for the millions of young adults. Since the draft been signed into law in 2010, the Affordable Care Act has already expanded access to high-quality, affordable health coverage for the millions of young adults. The Affordable Care Act made a remarkable stroke by allowing young adults under the age limit of twenty-six years to remain with the health insurance policy of their parents. The United States of America witnessed a rise in the number of young adults who gained health insurance through the legislation’s health insurance exchanges, private marketplaces and also through the expansion of the Medicaid program. Under its various sections and subsections sating rules and policies for almost every genre of the society the bill also mentioned specific provisions for the children as well as the young adults.

The generic problems faced by Young adults without health insurance policy.

Some of the problems faced by young adults without any health insurance policy are as follows-

1. i) Health and financial condition of the uninsured young adults- The uninsured young adults often faces problems while paying medical bills. People in their younger age may often face chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, etc. and while treating these diseases the treatment process may become expensive for them and having an insurance can help in the process of treatment.
2. ii) Having the lowest rate of access to employer-based health insurance- The young adults faces a transition point of graduating from college and getting a job. Most of the adults during this phase are employed with either part-time jobs, entry-level jobs or jobs in small business that usually does not provide any kind of health insurance policy to the employers and this can lead to face problems.

How does the law affect the young adults?

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care law, the young adults were allowed to stay with their parent’s policy if they are not married and are under the age limit of 26 years.

1. i) Young adults ages range between 19 to 29 have remained uninsured at higher rates than any other age group, not because of a lack of desire for health coverage but as they have dearth of access to affordable health coverage. But after the advent of the law people were allowed to stay on their parent’s plan and also a number of healthcare plans were made available. And, as a result of which the percentage of uninsured young adults decreased considerably.
2. ii) The Obama care health reforms allowed healthcare benefits covering prescription drugs, to contraception, to STI screenings, to maternity and newborn care and also mental health screening within the purview of health insurance plans for young adults.

iii) The law allows young adults with low income can file income tax with their parents and qualify for CHIP program if their parents do not qualify for Marketplace.

1. iv) The law offered Medicaid or CHIP facilities for the young adults both for free or for low-cost coverage.

Before the launching of the Affordable Care Act only around 64% of young adults had health insurance plans but after the advent of the law it expanded immense facilities to young adults which helped to decrease the number of uninsured in the country.