Young Americans Resistant to Obamacare

[Frodo]

Should we up the ante on the tax penalty?
---------------------------------

Young invincibles spurn O-Care

By Elise Viebeck
December 04, 2013, 08:30 pm

Mounting opposition to ObamaCare among young adults is creating a new crisis for the White House.

While the federal enrollment website HealthCare.gov appears to be improving by the day, polls show the “young invincibles” key to making the law work are becoming less likely to enroll.

Younger people were skeptical of the healthcare reform law even before its troubled rollout, despite their support for President Obama.

But polling indicates the problems facing HealthCare.gov — a site the administration initially touted as a hip, tech-friendly experience — have reinforced their doubts about the need to have health insurance at all.

“The trend is daunting for the White House but not necessarily surprising,” said Pew Research Center Director Michael Dimock.

“Younger folks are part of Obama’s base ... but the rollout confirmed concerns that were already in their minds.”

A poll released Wednesday by Harvard University’s Institute of Politics found that more than half of 18- to 29-year-olds disapprove of ObamaCare and believe it will raise their healthcare costs.

Even more troubling for the administration is that less than one-third of uninsured young people said they plan to enroll in coverage.

[Ban my account ffs!]

They'll all sign up at the last minute, of course.

Just like those expecting big refunds file taxes in January and people who owe file in April.

[King]

There's a misconception among the young people that the fine is only $95.  That's minimum.  They'll sign up within 2 years.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

The tax should have been at least double what they made it, and it should have started out at the maximum level, rather than incrementally increasing.

[Sbane]

People will still get insurance, though I bet a lot will continue on their current plans if they can since it will be cheaper than the Obamacare plans.

[dead0man]

Young healthy people don't want to pay the way for the sickly and old?  Color me shocked!

[opebo]

Young healthy people don't want to pay the way for the sickly and old?  Color me shocked!

The idiots don't realize they will all be sickly and old very soon.  Unless they eat a bullet.

[Beezer]

This ought to be somewhat worrying:





http://iop.harvard.edu/blog/iop-releases-new-fall-poll-5-key-findings-and-trends-millennial-viewpoints?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=hero&utm_campaign=Fall2013Survey

Seems like the younger generation is turning more to the center. This is in line with a poll from last year which showed the gap between Obama and Romney at 30 points among college students and just 10 points among high school students.

[Brittain33]

Seems like they're tuning out the Dems without turning to the Republicans. This is pretty much what happened in the first term, it bodes well for 2016 but horribly for 2014.

[King]

18-24 year olds are always anti-establishment, which happens to be Democrat right now.  They're not actually going to vote for some Republican splooge who reminds them of their high school principal.

[DC Al Fine]

18-24 year olds are always anti-establishment, which happens to be Democrat right now.  They're not actually going to vote for some Republican splooge who reminds them of their high school principal.

To be fair, Hillary reminds me of an overly strict librarian.

[Brittain33]

18-24 year olds are always anti-establishment, which happens to be Democrat right now.  They're not actually going to vote for some Republican splooge who reminds them of their high school principal.

To be fail, Hillary reminds me of an overly strict librarian.

Yes, Hillary's appeal to young people is a HUGE question mark for Dems and not promising... in fact I count on young people participation cratering if it's Hillary vs. virtually any Republican.

[DC Al Fine]

18-24 year olds are always anti-establishment, which happens to be Democrat right now.  They're not actually going to vote for some Republican splooge who reminds them of their high school principal.

To be fail, Hillary reminds me of an overly strict librarian.

Yes, Hillary's appeal to young people is a HUGE question mark for Dems and not promising... in fact I count on young people participation cratering if it's Hillary vs. virtually any Republican.

Yup. I agree with what you said before. The youngs are not swinging en masse to the GOP, but the bloom is of the rose with the Democrats. They might still show up to vote out Big Bad GOP Presidential Candidate, but they won't show up to vote out their GOP congressman in a mid term.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

The sad truth is that the Democratic establishment is blatantly out of touch with the interests of common people, but especially young people. They get what they earned. The need for a competent leftist third party is more obvious than ever.

[courts]

18-24 year olds are always anti-establishment, which happens to be Democrat right now.  They're not actually going to vote for some Republican splooge who reminds them of their high school principal.

To be fail, Hillary reminds me of an overly strict librarian.

Yes, Hillary's appeal to young people is a HUGE question mark for Dems and not promising... in fact I count on young people participation cratering if it's Hillary vs. virtually any Republican.

this is borderline concern trolling. hillary destroys christie by about +10 points right now in polling. the other republicans do even worse.

[Brittain33]

18-24 year olds are always anti-establishment, which happens to be Democrat right now.  They're not actually going to vote for some Republican splooge who reminds them of their high school principal.

To be fail, Hillary reminds me of an overly strict librarian.

Yes, Hillary's appeal to young people is a HUGE question mark for Dems and not promising... in fact I count on young people participation cratering if it's Hillary vs. virtually any Republican.

this is borderline concern trolling. hillary destroys christie by about +10 points right now in polling. the other republicans do even worse.

Why would I concern-troll? I voted for Hillary in the 2008 primaries!

In fact, I don't think Hillary cratering among young people means she won't win. I'm not optimistic that current numbers will hold up, but I think she'll win back a lot of older voters even as young people stay home.

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

I don't want to sound delusional but this poll is skewed: at the height of Obama's second term popularity, the Harvard's series showed that him earning a 52% approval rating from the so-called "young invincibles": an approval rating no different from the rest of the country. It's also worth taking into account that this series covers undergraduates, not young voters as a whole. Obama has performed poorly amongst young whites since he was inaugurated but as held up strongly amongst minorities, its no surprise that a white-dominated demographic would show him in trouble.

[MODU]

What's missing here is "why" should the ones who are now able to ride on their parents insurance until they are 26 sign up for individual insurance?   In a way, the very persons they need to sign up are the ones who they gave a waiver to.

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

What's missing here is "why" should the ones who are now able to ride on their parents insurance until they are 26 sign up for individual insurance?   In a way, the very persons they need to sign up are the ones who they gave a waiver to.

Plenty of the "young invincibles" parents don't have insurance.

[MODU]

What's missing here is "why" should the ones who are now able to ride on their parents insurance until they are 26 sign up for individual insurance?   In a way, the very persons they need to sign up are the ones who they gave a waiver to.

Plenty of the "young invincibles" parents don't have insurance.

Hence the phrasing "... the ones who are now able to ...".  Those who aren't able to ride on their parents plans probably can't afford individual insurance on their own without government subsidies as it is, so they won't be the ones providing the needed funding the legislation is banking on.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

What's missing here is "why" should the ones who are now able to ride on their parents insurance until they are 26 sign up for individual insurance?   In a way, the very persons they need to sign up are the ones who they gave a waiver to.

Plenty of the "young invincibles" parents don't have insurance.

Hence the phrasing "... the ones who are now able to ...".  Those who aren't able to ride on their parents plans probably can't afford individual insurance on their own without government subsidies as it is, so they won't be the ones providing the needed funding the legislation is banking on.

The problem with so much of the ACA is that there's not going to be near enough going in to handle what's going out.

[MODU]

The problem with so much of the ACA is that there's not going to be near enough going in to handle what's going out.

^^^^

Which is why the backbone of the legislation is going to fail, taking the whole system with it.  All the ACA is a bandaid on the real problems of insurance, and unfortunately, we can't pay for those bandaids forever.

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

What's missing here is "why" should the ones who are now able to ride on their parents insurance until they are 26 sign up for individual insurance?   In a way, the very persons they need to sign up are the ones who they gave a waiver to.

Plenty of the "young invincibles" parents don't have insurance.

Hence the phrasing "... the ones who are now able to ...".  Those who aren't able to ride on their parents plans probably can't afford individual insurance on their own without government subsidies as it is, so they won't be the ones providing the needed funding the legislation is banking on.

It's not the funding that's needed. It's a broad risk pool that's needed.

[Lief 🗽]

It's also worth taking into account that this series covers undergraduates, not young voters as a whole.

Wait seriously? What an awful poll then.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

What's missing here is "why" should the ones who are now able to ride on their parents insurance until they are 26 sign up for individual insurance?   In a way, the very persons they need to sign up are the ones who they gave a waiver to.

Plenty of the "young invincibles" parents don't have insurance.

Hence the phrasing "... the ones who are now able to ...".  Those who aren't able to ride on their parents plans probably can't afford individual insurance on their own without government subsidies as it is, so they won't be the ones providing the needed funding the legislation is banking on.

It's not the funding that's needed. It's a broad risk pool that's needed.

A broad risk pool (and LOTS of them) are need to fund the ACA.  MODU doesn't think that will happen, and I happen to agree at this point.