What exactly does this bill contain? Some of the details of this bill are beginning to surface and are raising quite a stir. This bill would allow college students who previously did not or could not have health insurance to be able to purchase an insurance plan through their school. According to an article in the New York Times titled Regulating Student Health Plans, “Students under age 19 could no longer be denied a policy because they had a potentially expensive pre-existing condition.” The student would now be able to purchase a health care policy that they believe will meet their needs that is within a reasonable price range they can afford.
This bill, when it goes into effect, will require that all people must have some form of health insurance to cover themselves. In the past, most college students were either covered under their parents’ health insurance policy until they reached the age of 23, or they had to pay for their own, often with their funds for college. Those who were attending college part-time were not required to have insurance, and often went without it. This bill is expected to remedy this situation and allow all college students to participate in a health insurance plan.
This bill, when it goes into effect, will require that all people must have some form of health insurance to cover themselves. In the past, most college students were either covered under their parents’ health insurance policy until they reached the age of 23, or they had to pay for their own, often with their funds for college. Those who were attending college part-time were not required to have insurance, and often went without it. This bill is expected to remedy this situation and allow all college students to participate in a health insurance plan.
According to an article found in The Christian Science Monitor, 2010, “All US citizens will be forced to have health insurance coverage considered acceptable by the US Government or else pay a fine of $95 in 2014, $325 in 2015, $695 in 2016 (capped at 2.5% of AGI). All of the fines are per person per year except for families, who have a cap on the total fine of $2,250. The fine amount for children is half of the adult fine.”
A visit to the emergency room can cost a student thousands of dollars. Students without health insurance are also more prone to various illnesses which thrive in populations which have a history of poor nutrition and lack of medical care. With this new reform bill, college students may finally see their way clear to be able to afford the health insurance that will help cover these types of medical expenses and eventually result in a healthier lifestyle.
So, is there a downside to this new plan? Unfortunately, when the original bill was signed, very few people knew what was in it. Even now, there are many aspects of this legislation which are unclear to most people in congress. Until we have a clear understanding of what actually will take place when this law is in full force, it would be prudent for the general population to proceed with caution when supporting the health reform bill. What now sounds to most like a great idea may eventually prove to be a heavy burden on the population of this country.
Several points to consider include the following. If coverage is mandatory for everyone nationwide, what happens to those individuals who cannot afford either the insurance premiums or the fines that go with non-compliance? If insurance companies are not allowed to turn anyone away for pre-existing conditions, who pays for the added cost of health care these conditions typically develop? If the added costs to provide coverage for individuals with significant illness results in the closure of health insurance providers, who will step in to the fill the gap they leave behind?
While this legislation has the good of the public in general and students in particular at heart, could it possibly prove to be a burden to the working population? If so, the potentially negative aspect of this bill might far outweigh what appear to be benefits. Not to mention the fact that the cost of this program will put the hands of the government deeper into the pockets of the workforce of America.
