Obamacare Saved Newly Insured Dependents $147 Million in 2011

[Redfairen]

Source: US News & World Report

The provision of the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as "Obamacare," that allows young adults up to the age of 25 to stay on their parents' health insurance plans shifted at least $147 million in health care costs from patients and hospitals to insurance companies in 2011, according to a new study by researchers at RAND Corporation.

That provision, which went into effect in September 2010, was one of the first major parts of the Affordable Care Act to take effect, allowing young adults to stay on their parents' health plans until their 26th birthday.

The Centers for Disease control estimates that the dependent-coverage provision expanded insurance coverage to about 3.1 million adults between the ages of 19 and 25. The RAND Corporation study was published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

.......

"We're thinking that prior to the Affordable Care Act, that $147 million would be picked up by patients, their families, the hospitals that care for them and perhaps the tax payers that serve as a backstop to hospitals," says Katherine Harris, a senior economist with RAND. "We're seeing that instead, insurance is doing its job and picking up those costs."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/obamacare-saved-newly-insured-dependents-133803227.html

[OKNancy]

1. One hour after this post and not one positive comment

or negative for that matter. Where are the ACA haters? I guess it's hard to respond to good news.

[Orsino]

2. This why they want to dismantle it.

Some parts of ACA, at least, are clear winners with families.

That US$147 million includes millions that would have more directly lined the pockets of predatory insurance execs and shareholders, and if families are allowed to think about the issue, the will be voting Democratic.

[hughee99]

3. Did insurance companies really pick up the costs?

Did they cut their margins or did they just pass the cost on to their other customers through higher rates?

[Zoeisright]

7. They have to pay out 80% of their income in medical benefits.

The cost cutting is going to come from insurance company costs.

[juajen]

4. OK, here's one.

I always knew that this would be the case. The coverage for young adults is one of the very best features of Obamacare, and there are many others.

[Tarheel_Dem]

5. K&R

[lark]

6. I am personally very grateful for this clause.

I was able to cover my son for a year and now we're able to cover our daughter, even though she has graduated from college. She has no insurance through work, even though she's a shift supervisor. This and no pre-existing clause are my favorite parts of the law. FL is fucking over the low income residents by not expanding Medicaid, so don't know what will happen with my son because he works as a waiter and can barely afford rent and food now.

[LuckyLib]

8. The dependents provision could not have come at a better time, as so many

twenty-somethings finish college or training programs and are employed with NO medical insurance and no chance of getting it through their employer. At least a few years of coverage can help them examine what's available through the medical insurance corporate criminals and find the least expensive and most appropriate coverage.

[Kingofalldems]

9. Kick and Rec