For the latest installment in the Department of Health and Human Services’ Obamacare “My #GetCovered Story” series, HHS has borrowed a line from the traditional wedding vows: “In sickness and in health.” In a blog post of that title, a “theater artist” from Chicago tells the story of how her own experiences have put a “new light on the phrase ‘in sickness and in health'” for her and her fiancé, a writer and adjunct professor:
Hecht was able to find an HMO plan for only $56/month. She assures others that signing up is “really easy to do,” and urges them not to delay since the deadline is coming on March 31. Healthcare.gov has had difficultly attracting healthy young people to enroll in Obamacare to widen the risk pool and keep premiums down.
Ironically, it may be enrollees like Hecht that may lead to vastly increased Obamacare premiums in 2015 and beyond since her $56/month premium will cover only a tiny fraction of her 12 day hospital stay. If Obamacare is going to have any chance of living up to its promise, the government will need to sign up a lot more young people in Hecht’s under-35 demographic who spend a lot more time in health than in sickness.
