Young Adult
Download: The Affordable Care Act and New Hampshire's Young Adults
The Affordable Care Act means recent graduates have the peace of mind that they can get coverage even if they haven’t found a job. It means they will never again be denied care because of pre-existing conditions or have their coverage dropped because they got too sick. It means that every young adult will know that they will be the ones in control of their health care—not insurance companies. It means:
Extending coverage to 8,330 New Hampshire young adults
The Affordable Care Act ensures 1.2 million young adults under the age of 26 have health coverage because they were allowed to stay on their parents plan. That means young adults—and their parents—have the peace of mind to know they have coverage if they get sick in the event that they cannot find a job with health insurance as soon as they graduate from college. As of June 2011, 8,330 young adults in New Hampshire gained insurance coverage as a result of the new health care law.
Covering preventive services with no deductible or co-pay
In 2011, 279,000 Granite Staters with private health insurance gained preventive service coverage with no cost-sharing – part of 54 million Americans to do so nationally. Free preventative services include blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol tests; cancer screenings; routine vaccinations; well-child visits; and counseling on healthy lifestyles. This early detection and treatment will allow people to live healthier, longer lives.
Providing better value for family premium dollars through the 80/20 Rule
Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies must provide consumers greater value by spending generally at least 80 percent (in New Hampshire, 75% in 2012 and 80% starting in 2013) of premium dollars on health care and quality improvements instead of overhead, executive salaries or marketing. If they don’t, they must provide consumers a rebate or reduce premiums. This means that 405,000 New Hampshire residents with private insurance coverage will receive greater value for their premium dollars.
Removing lifetime limits on health benefits
The law bans insurance companies from imposing lifetime dollar limits on health benefits – freeing cancer patients and individuals suffering from other chronic diseases from having to worry about going without treatment because of their lifetime limits. Already, 545,000 residents, including 208,000 women and 140,000 children, are free from worrying about lifetime limits on coverage. The law also restricts the use of annual limits and bans them completely in 2014.
Assistance with out-of-pocket health care costs
The Affordable Care Act provides new cost-sharing assistance for individuals who are between 133 – 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL). Cost-sharing is the amount we each pay out of pocket for care. This provision helps lower the out of cost pockets that can add up for health care consumers.
Young adults looking for coverage can visit Young Invincible's Getting Covered toolkit.
