Is Obamacare Looking out for College Students?
Choosing a health care plan under obamacare cannot be as straightforward as government has tried to convince us. However, when it comes to college students, the Affordable Care Act is meant to provide them with many benefits that many students are not aware of, perhaps because the enforcing of health care has already impacted their lives and finances. People who actually pay their college with a part-time job have seen their working hours reduced and their income in order to get them insured, or have opted to leave them out to go for their own insurance but being unable to pay it after their salary reductions.
Obamacare to Rescue Them
It is expected that during the open enrollment period, the health insurance marketplace provides better insurance deals under the Affordable Care Act that allows them to find better deals than plans with higher premiums that they are actually paying, or simply get a health insurance policy that they could not take out because most students work in low-wage industries. It is also expected that from October 1st, 20013 to March 31, 20014, students will also have the opportunity to take out better life insurance at lower prices.
New Health Insurance Options
Although widely discussed, Obamacare does not seem to cover all the health insurance needs. However, the federal administration keeps releasing updates about new health insurance coverage options that will be available during the open enrollment period, including options that will significantly reduce insurance expenses that college students have to pay without being threatened or denied to have insurance due to pre-existing medical conditions.
Free and Discount Health Coverage
Obamacare will offer free health care coverage to all those students whose family’s annually income is less than $94,000 or their own income is up to $46,000. This benefit will be provided either accessing Medicaid or via discounted health care coverage for students that do not qualify for free services. Discounted coverage depends on a student’s income, the state he or she comes from and will be obtained through monthly tax credits.
Access to Preventive Services
Other options contemplated within Obamacare for college students include free annual checkups, free preventive services, and substance and prescription abuse service, which is probably one of the most needed health care services during college, when substance abuse may lead to potential addictions that make students quit college before graduating.
Freedom of Choice
Another advantage that students may find in Obamacare is the freedom to opt-in for the insurance that they really need. The health insurance market is aware of the federal provisions that allow students to pay only for the services that they may need during college, with the options to renew or extend their policies at a later time when they could be requiring extended coverage.
Obamacare is still in the bull’s eye of the discussions hurricane, but there are good options for students to choose from despite all the criticism behind PPACA, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that President Obama is enforcing now.
Category: Medical
