Even Young Republicans Want Health Insurance

[Left Coast2020]

Source: NBC News

Obamacare may have become a partisan issue, but more Republicans than Democrats have signed up for one of its most popular provisions, according to a survey published Wednesday.

The survey also pokes holes in the idea that most 20-somethings act like “Young Invincibles” who believe they don’t need health insurance.

A team at the Commonwealth Fund, which strongly supports healthcare reform, looked at one of the main target groups of the 2010 Affordable Care Act – young adults who have been going without health insurance. One of the most popular provisions of the law lets people age 26 and younger stay on their parents’ health insurance.

“Public opinion polls found a partisan divide … but Republicans and Democrats both took advantage of the young adult provisions,” says Commonwealth vice president Sara Collins, who led the study. “In fact, more Republicans than Democrats did.”

They found that by last March, 63 percent of young adults identifying as Republicans had enrolled in a parent’s health plan in the last 12 months, compared to 45 percent of those who considered themselves Democrats. About 26 percent of the 1,800 adults surveyed said they were Republicans, 28 percent said they were Democrats and the rest either said they were independent, some other party, or did not say.

Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/health/even-republican-young-adults-want-health-insurance-poll-finds-6C10963044

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Hey Rand Paul! Hows that repeal thing going for ya?

[groundloop]

1. More repubs than Democrats took advantage of the young adult provision - WHY?

I'd have thought a good reporter would have asked that question, but I have a guess.... I'd be willing to bet that it's a very simple reason, more repubs than Democrats already have employer provided healthcare, and are therefore ABLE to take advantage of the provision to include their young adult children.

[Lebam in LA]

2. Maybe more young Democrats are employed

and have their own healthcare

[quadrature]

7. ...because it was free ...

the individual mandate -->
who knows what will happen.

[gopiscrap]

3. Young republicans should want a universal single payer system

not health insurance!

[freshwest]

4. Yet they are still registered GOP? More questions than answers for me.

Another poll, noting the GOP voted 40 times to repeal the ACA would tell the tale of what this means to them. Perhaps they are just taking a free ride off the policy their parents are paying for is all that is. Many Repubs I know will take any aid from the government but still vote GOP because they think they deserve it and other don't.

Questions:

When they reach 26 and have to pay out of their own pockets, will they still vote GOP?

Do they support health exchanges most GOP states are trying to kill?

Do they support anything for the poor, elderly and disabled who are the most advantaged by the expansion of Medicaid through the ACA, and which the GOP hates?

The battle isn't over. I expect more attempts at obstruction of anything the president is doing through 2016 to give the GOP more seats in the Senate and HoR in 2014.

Thanks for the poll, even though for me it gives me more questions than firm answers. May be some room for hope with minds getting changed...

[TlalocW]

5. I posted this on my Facebook

And my niece (republican) replied with:

That's because most young Democrats are using state insurance just like their Democratic parents. To me that statistic just goes to show the truth behind democrats freeloading!!! Yes I know this doesn't mean all Democrats....but they are known for freeloading while republicans take pride in providing for themselves without government help. Again speaking on majority.

I... don't understand what she's trying to say here. What is, "State Insurance?"

TlalocW

[obama2terms]

6. The only thing I can think of

Is insurance provided by the state, but that would mean you would have to work for the state! You can't just lay on your couch all day and get health insurance from the state. There's no such thing as free lunch! I hate the whole "democrats are freeloaders" stereotype. A free loader is a free loader no matter what their political views are. And hardworking people on BOTH sides seem to not take kindly to freeloaders. There's a huge difference between being a bum and actually needing help. I had an argument with one of my republican friends and she brought up the same thing your niece said. And the funny thing is, she's unemployed and has made NO attempts to try to find work, her mother has even called me to see if I could get through to her on finding a job, and so far my attempts have failed. Her mom pays her phone bill, car note, and health insurance and she has the nerve to call other people freeloaders? HA! Republicans... what can you do?

[blkmusclmachine]

8. They want health care for themselves, all right.

Just not for those "others."

[Kingofalldems]

9. How about the big time Newty plan?

[U4ikLefty]

10. I prefer Health Care