Summary: Cosmopolitan online magazine has published an article titled, “Top 8 Ways Young Women Benefit from ObamaCare” by Senior Correspondent for Kaiser Health News, Phil Galewitz. The misguided list seems to be a desperate attempt to get most young women (like myself) to act against their own interests by signing up for ObamaCare. Young women deserve to know the truth about their health care options. Here’s a quick list of what’s so bad about ObamaCare, especially for young women: 1. ObamaCare Treats Grown Women Like Children Phil Galewitz patronizingly touts that, “You can stay on your parents’ health policy until you turn 26” even if you’re married. Is still being dependent on mom and dad something to celebrate? ObamaCare requires health insurance companies to provide coverage for the customers’ “adult children” (actual demeaning term used in the legislation!) until age 26. Excussseeeee me, but women in our mid-20’s are not children. Whatever happened to Cosmopolitan magazine promoting female empowerment and independence? Plus, Galewitz doesn’t mention that the under-26 mandate has increased families’ insurance premiums by $151 to $452 per year. Simply, it cost more money to insure more people. This is the basic economic principle called: you don’t get something for nothing. Of course, you can’t get covered on your parents’ plan if they lose their health insurance (see #5). 2. “Free” Birth Control Costs A Lot of Money Phil Galewitz writes, “You’re entitled to free preventive care, including birth control.” That sounds great at first. Who doesn’t love getting free stuff?! But to paraphrase late economist Milton Friedman, TNSTAFBC: there’s no such thing as free birth control. ObamaCare requires all insurance plans to cover all FDA-approved brand name contraceptives and procedures. Well, funny thing, covering more expensive forms of birth control costs more money. There may be no co-pays at the doctor office’s counter, but everyone will have to pay higher insurance premiums. Not exactly “free.” It doesn’t matter your contraceptive of choice or if you don’t use any form of birth control. Shouldn’t young women be allowed to pick the affordable insurance plan that best meets their birth control needs? 3. ObamaCare Health Insurance Exchanges Are a Bad Deal for Young People Phil Galewitz tries his best to sell young women on the ObamaCare health insurance exchanges. A dirty little secret is that ObamaCare’s success is completely dependent on young people opting into the unfair system. The way that the ObamaCare exchanges are set up is that young and relatively healthy people will be subsidizing the health care costs of old and unhealthy people. Sixty-four-year-olds typically spend six times as much on health care as 18-year-olds. This means that young women that rarely see a doctor will see their health insurance costs skyrocket in the system! Pro tip: If you’re a single childless adult, you’ll save at least $500 by not opting into the insurance exchange and paying the government fine instead. 4. You’ll Pay More For Things You Don’t Want Phil Galewitz says that all health insurance plans will be required to cover maternity care, mental health services, and preventive services. What if you don’t want or need these things? Well, too bad. Maternity coverage will be mandatory—even for men. Women who do not plan on having children will have to pay extra for maternity benefits. Adding coverage for things that some people do not want will only increase insurance costs for everyone. Shouldn’t women that do not want kids or any mental health counseling be allowed to choose a cheaper plan that makes sense for them? 5. You May Lose Your Insurance Coverage Phil Galewitz writes about all the benefits and coverage that insurance policies must provide under the law. It’s interesting what he does not mention: the number of people who will lose their health insurance. According to estimates from the Congressional Budget
