Youth participation low in early Obamacare enrollment

Reuters ^

[matt04]

The new private health plans available under Obamacare drew in fewer young and healthy Americans than needed for the administration to make healthcare reform a market success in the first wave of enrollment, an official report showed on Monday.

Twenty-four percent of the 2.2 million people who signed up for private coverage between October 1 and December 28 belonged to a target audience of 18- to 34-year-olds, according to the first administration report to provide a demographic breakdown on enrollment in the new plans offered under President Barack Obama's healthcare law.

That compares with a target of closer to 38 percent set before the program's botched October 1 rollout, when administration officials believed that about 2.7 million of a forecast 7 million enrollees for 2014 would be between 18 and 35.

Younger enrollees tend to be healthy and are needed to help offset the cost of covering older, sicker consumers, because Obamacare prohibits insurers from charging sick people higher rates and limits the cost premium they can assign to older policyholders.

Health policy experts say the administration may still get closer to that ratio by the time enrollment closes at the end of March, when more young Americans are expected to sign up to avoid the law's penalty for not having any coverage.

"It looks like they are on target to net enrollment somewhere around 6 to 7 million people, if current trends continue," said Dan Mendelson of the consulting firm Avalere Health.

[matt04]

Still don't buy that 24 percent figure. Pay a $95 fine or $300/month for something you don't need. Hmmmm.

[ReaganGeneration2]

Arrange so you don’t get a refund; then they can’t fine you.

Sign up for insurance when you do need it.

Health Care System crashes.

[Revel]

And even if the 24 percent is right. Then how many of those were just tossed on Medicare. Notice how they don’t tell you that.

[matt04]

They also say “signed up” not “paid.” IF they paid, how many will still be paying in 4-6 months once they realize how bad the plans are.

[JSDude1]

And that is one of the dominoes down the line that will fall, as you so put it!

[grundle]

So all these young people who elected Obama and supported the passage of Obamacare don’t want Obamacare for themselves. What hypocrites!

[matt04]

The believed the lies of Obama, covered for by the MSM. The question is will the be smart enough in 14 or 16?

[dennisw]

Many of these alleged yoofs are out mugging or playing midnight basketball. How are they going to pay when they don’t pay taxes and have gone GALT in that they want zero contact with gov’t?