TPM Reader TC on the difficulty of getting young adults to sign up for Obamacare:
Love your reporting and wanted to drop a line tonight to offer my position on the ACA.
I’m a 32 year-old healthy male that wants, but can’t afford, Obamacare. I think the law is a step in the right direction, it just doesn’t go far enough to capture my peers in large numbers.
Let me offer my situation:
I earn 55,000 a year working in a restaurant, though I have a Masters Degree. I live in Brooklyn. I earn too much to qualify for assistance with healthcare, so my premium is $308/month.
My apartment rent is $1400/month, student loans are just under $800/month, I pay around $200/month in credit card bills, $100 for a cell phone, and $50 for car insurance. Then we have food, movies, metro cards, etc, etc …
Run the numbers, where do I find room for another $308/month???
I’ve been off my parents insurance for 8 years. I’ve been to the doctor less than 5 times in those years, for a total cost of under $500. It’s hard for me to justify spending almost $3800 a year on a bronze plan when that’s more than 7 times what I’ve paid over the last 8 years! And even spending that much, I’ve still got a large deductible to cover.
I know I’m not getting any younger, but man, these numbers are hard to swallow, much less get excited about!
As I stated before, I’m a supporter of the law. I voted for Obama with pride and I would again. … I just don’t believe this is the final solution, rather, only the first step.
