Alexis Anderson
Staff Writer
For many young and healthy college students, the thought of obtaining health insurance is the furthest thing from their minds. However, the implementation of new requirements for health insurance coverage under the mandated Affordable Care Act (ACA), have many facing the real life responsibility of figuring out how they can obtain and maintain coverage.
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the ACA. The act puts in place comprehensive health insurance reforms that will roll out over four years and beyond. The law promises to extend coverage to millions of young adults. All Americans must obtain health insurance by Feb. 15 for coverage to begin on March 1.
The JSU Student Health Center can provide information about student health insurance coverage and requirements under the Affordable Care Act. Students can visit: http://www.jsuinsurance.com/ or call the JSU Health Center at 601-979-2260 for more information.
Most students like Theron Wilkerson, a senior history major from Carthage, Miss., have not begun to ponder the thought of buying insurance.
“I have no insurance, nor do I know much about it. I haven’t given it much attention, but I understand why the government is forcing citizens to purchase healthcare. I understand the politics behind it, as long as the poor and the middle class don’t have to suffer from just a few people’s success. It’s like buying car insurance, it’s required to protect you from any negligence from an accident. However, you can always buy another car, you can’t buy another life,” said Wilkerson.
Gabriella Hall, a sophomore music education major from Carthage, Miss., said she is unaware of the Affordable Healthcare Act.
“I don’t know too much about the law, and I haven’t heard anyone talk about it. My relatives work in the medical field, but I haven’t heard anything about the specifics. I am currently on my parents insurance until I can pay for my own necessities,” said Hall.
Christopher Cox, a JSU political science graduate student from Moss Point, Miss., and an Outreach and Enrollment Specialist at Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center, thinks that college students should conduct more research about the Affordable Care Act.
“College students should educate themselves about gaining health insurance. One way is to visit www.healthcare.com. The website gives you vital information about the Affordable Care Act or any insurance marketplace,” said Cox. “Students can talk to certified application counselors; their job is to present the affordable care act in a way in which people would consider signing up for the plan. They will help people follow the necessary steps to be insured without any confusion or false marketing. Our goal is to reach out to people that are 18-30 years old, the hardest age population to convince.
Cox added: “One attribute of the Affordable Care Act is to stop any insurance companies from over-charging customers on their premiums. It makes them liable from any unfair service. Everyone should check out the plan instead of being persuaded by what others say. There have been misconceptions in the media of how the health plans works for citizens.”
Students are among the group least likely to be consider health care. Individuals without insurance will begin accruing penalties as of March 31, 2014, but experts agree that for young people, the incentive to pay for health insurance simply is not there. Added to expenses such as rent, car payments, auto insurance, food, student loans, and clothing, very few young people have the sort of disposable income to allow for another added expense, particularly one as high as their health insurance would be.
