'Young Invincibles' at risk without health insurance

A growing number of young adults are going without health insurance, says the Commonwealth Fund, a center for health care policy. Their study found that 13.7 million people ages 19 to 29 did not have health insurance in 2006. The total number of uninsured that year was 47 million, which means "young invincibles" composed almost one-third of all the uninsured in the U.S, according to a recent article by CNN.

"It is a big mistake not to get insurance," said Dr. Alan Garber, director of the Center for Health Policy at Stanford University. "There may be a tendency on the part of young people to underestimate how likely they are to have an accident or some severe illness."

The young invincibles may not be so invincible. Accidents account for 70 percent of deaths among those 18 to 29.

"Health insurance is not one of the things that younger adults are focused on," said Dr. Ken Thorpe, a professor of health policy at Emory University. "In cases where somebody who doesn't have health insurance shows up in the emergency room, we all end up paying for it. Taxpayers pay for it. People with private insurance pay for it. Somebody's picking up the bill.

"We've got to find ways to get younger adults to purchase health insurance," Thorpe said.

He suggests that "young invincibles" purchase a high-deductible plan that at least covers catastrophic events, such as major accidents, as a temporary remedy to the soaring cost of health care.

We have health benefits plans to meet every budget. Call us today at 404-358-1170 to find out how we can help you protect your health, your assets and your future with an affordable health care plan. Limited health coverage plans begin as low as $55 per month, depending on your age.

COBRA or private health insurance?

President Obama's stimulus plan contains provisions to help laid-off workers maintain health coverage, but the new rules remain confusing. Perhaps new info expected later this week will help to clarify the matter.

Meanwhile, laid-off workers can expect to continue to pay 102% of whatever premium your former employer was paying for your or your family's health coverage.

See the recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle for more clarity — or confusion — on the issue.

For details on individual and family health plans we offer, click here for our one-page flyer in .pdf format.

Find an alternative to COBRA health insurance

Today's Dallas News points out the need for newly laid-off people to maintain their health coverage.

There are three alternatives:

• "Hop on your spouse's insurance plan. If you lose health coverage because of a job loss, it's considered a "qualifying event" under federal tax law, and your spouse would be able to enroll you and the family on his or her plan...."


• "Take COBRA health coverage. COBRA is the acronym for a federal law that allows many laid-off workers to remain on an employer's group health plan for 18 months. When you're covered by a group health insurance plan, your employer usually pays some or all of the premium. When you go on COBRA, you are usually required to pay the full premium on your own, plus a 2 percent administration fee."


• "Get an individual health policy. If you're in good health and don't have any pre-existing medical conditions, you may be able to find less expensive options than COBRA. The average COBRA premium costs 60 percent more than comparable individual coverage...."

This is where I can help you.

Individual health coverage is crucial in today's world. There are plans available for everyone's budget. Typically, the younger you are and the healthier you are, the lower your monthly premium.

Full-blown major medical policies with little or no deductibles are available; however, plans with higher deductibles keep your premiums lower.

There are also plans with lesser, though still considerable, benefits available at extremely low cost. I also offer basic emergency room coverage, doctor visit coverage, basic hospitalization coverage, and even a guaranteed-acceptance program for people with ongoing health issues.

Call me today at 404-358-1170 to discuss your health coverage needs and options. To preview what we have to offer. Or tell me about yourself and your health insurance needs via this simple form, and I'll get back to you within 24 hours with personalized recommendations.