Youth Radio - Topic: Generation Invincible

Watching Your Health Chip Away

noah — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 18:07:56 -0500

This story originally aired on NPR's Morning Edition, March 24, 2010

President Obama signed the health care overhaul bill into law yesterday. Still, some health organizations want more to be done to provide care to uninsured Americans including the American Dental Association. They opposed the bill because it didn't increase funding for dental services paid by Medicaid. And that, the ADA says, won't help the millions of Americans without dental insurance. Youth Radio's Jennifer Obakhume visits one family dealing with that reality.

Cesscia Rojo and her sister Adriana are young and healthy, except they have dental issues. Major ones. Cesscia says, when they needed care, they used to go to Tijuana, Mexico.

“I went to Tijuana and that’s where they started the root canal. When I came back, all the problems started with the drugs dealers, so I wasn’t going back to TJ anytime soon.”

Both sisters have tried to get dental care in the U-S. Adriana used a free clinic in Southern California to have a broken tooth pulled. But she needs more dental work.

“I still have a hole in my mouth. It hurts sometimes if I chew bread cuz it goes in there and it hurts, but other than that it’s good.”

The sisters live at a home with their parents. Cesscia says they enjoy cooking dinner together every night.

"See really you know, Mexican culture, we, they hold on to us until we’re married. And we’re not married, and we’re here until we finish school. And then we’ll take them in. And we’re just going to stay together."

The family has lived legally in the US for years. Some members have insurance, some don't. Cessica says her relatives still often go to Mexico for medical treatment. Almost a million Californians get health care in Mexico each year, according to the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

“I know a lot of my cousins have done it and my aunts and uncles have done it. It’s about half as much as you’d pay here, which is still a lot of money, but much less. You’re not going to get a dentist for sixty bucks to patch up your hole. It’s a couple grand."

But Cesscia and Adriana are too worried about the violence to back to Mexico. So they get basic health services like immunizations at school. And for acute or chronic conditions, they’re on their own. Adriana says she just ignores her health issues, like her broken tooth.

"My main concern is that I still have an infection, but we can’t do anything about it, so I try not to think about it."

The president has just signed the health bill. But Adriana hasn't given much thought to what the new law will mean for her. Her focus is on finishing school and then finding a job to pay for medical and dental care.

For NPR News, I'm Jennifer Obakhume.

Previously:

Historic Health Care Reform Bill Passes

noah — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:06:08 -0500

By: Emily Beaver

The House of Representative passed a health care reform bill Sunday, delivering on President Obama's promise of change.

After months of debate, argument, and just plain bickering about health care, the House passed a health care reform bill by a vote of 219-212. Only Democrats supported the bill, which will extend health insurance to millions of people and will provide new protections for people who already have insurance. The vote was historic -- if it becomes a law, it would require almost all Americans to have insurance for the first time. The vote was also exciting -- one of those rare times when watching Congress work felt more like witnessing history than watching sausage being made.

"This isn't radical reform, but it is major reform," Obama said at a press conference after the vote. "This is what change looks like."

What the House passed on Sunday was just one piece of health care reform bill, called the reconciliation bill. Next, Obama will sign the health care reform bill the Senate passed in December. On Tuesday, the Senate will have to pass the reconciliation bill before health care reform becomes law.

For young adults, the age group most likely to be uninsured, health reform will bring big changes -- with some changes happening as soon as this year. Later this year, health care reform would begin to allow young adults to stay on their parents' insurance plans until age 26. By 2014, more young people without children will be able to qualify for Medicaid, the government health insurance program for poor and low-income people. Young adults who don't get health insurance at work will be able to buy insurance through a health insurance exchange, even if they have pre-existing health conditions like asthma or diabetes.

Even for young people, who have a lot to gain from reform, there will be a cost. For the first time, everyone will have to get insurance -- so the "young invincibles" who don't buy insurance because they're young and healthy won't be able to skip out on insurance any more - or they'll be fined.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has been a major player in passing health reform, said in a speech before the vote that health reform will "unleash an entrepreneurial spirit" in America. Now, people who want to leave their jobs will be able to keep their health insurance, and people who want to start their own businesses will be able to get insurance she said.

For young adults, who are less likely to get insurance through work, being able to change jobs or create their own job without worrying about health insurance is important. But having access to health insurance might mean something more -- it might mean pursuing the dream of becoming a musician, not having to choose between buying winter boots or going to the doctor, or getting the critical scans and tests to make sure your cancer is still in remission.

“For all Americans, but particularly young Americans, this is a historic moment that guarantees affordable, stable health care for all,” said Aaron Smith, co-founder of the health reform advocacy group Young Invincibles, in a statement released Monday. “This bill will provide our generation with the opportunity to pursue our dreams without fear of a lack of health insurance."

Health Care Reform Debate Keeps Humming

noah — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:12:45 -0500

By: Emily Beaver

If you dozed off during the endless debate over health care reform, it's time to perk up. Members of Congress are planning to make a decision on a health reform bill this week.

So what's happening now? After political changes in January stalled Democrats' efforts to overhaul our health care system, President Obama stepped in. After February's televised health care summit, Obama said it was time for Congress to stop the endless debate on health care reform and take action. Democrats are worried that if they don't pass a health reform bill soon, reform will lose momentum as members of Congress break for Easter recess.

Obama has gone on the road to push for health reform, making his first stop at Arcadia University to rally support for reform. The Democratic party's leadership is counting votes (they need 216 votes in the House and 51 in the Senate to pass reform) and trying to convince members of their party who haven't agreed to vote for reform. Obama even took Dennis Kucinich, a Democratic Congressman from Ohio, for a ride on Air Force One to persuade him to vote for the health care reform. Republicans are mounting their own campaign to get lawmakers to vote against healthcare reform. Interest groups are dropping millions on advertisements to pressure lawmakers into voting against (or for) the bill.

While this is a big moment for health care reform, what actually happens in Congress this week may not be dramatic. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has suggested that members of the House of Representatives may try to approve the bill without technically voting on it, using a legislative tactic called the "self-executing rule." If Congress passes reform, the way Americans access and pay for health care could change drastically. But this isn't our country's first attempt at changing our health care system. If Democrats can't get the votes they need --or find another legislative maneuver to pass reform--it's quite possible that we'll still have the same health care system we've been complaining about for years.

At times, the health reform debate has reminded me of the noise a refrigerator makes -- after a while, you get so used to the monotonous hum in the background you automatically tune it out. If Congress doesn't pass reform now, the health care debate won't vanish. It will just keep humming in the background.

Previously:

Will Young People Get Squeezed Out of Health Care Reform?

rpereira — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:27:28 -0600

By: Emily Beaver

After Massachusetts voters elected Republican Scott Brown of Massachusetts to the Senate Tuesday, members of Congress immediately starting talking about what to do about health reform.

"Scaling back", "paring down", and "stripping down" are some of the phrases being used to describe how health care reform might change since the Democrats lost their filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. It sounds more like going on a diet than changing public policy -- but what politicians are really talking about cutting out are reforms that would help everyone get health insurance. And with young adults making up a disproportionate share of the uninsured population, many young people wouldn't receive any benefits from a "scaled back" health reform package.

So what does Tuesday's election mean? Some politicians read the election as a sign the public is more concerned about jobs than health care. Some are saying the public just doesn't support or understand the health care reform plans Democrats originally proposed. Others say Massachusetts voters, who already have a statewide universal health insurance program, don't want to help other states that haven't provided insurance to all residents.

Politics matter when it comes to health care reform. Reform was a legislative priority for Democrats, but Republicans opposed their health reform proposals. With Brown replacing the late Senator Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat who died in August, the Senate Democrats only have 59 votes. They need 60 votes to stop Republicans from filibustering - a tactic the minority party can use to stall legislation. Now it's likely than any health reform passed will need to have support from both parties.

President Obama is already backing off one of the major health reform goals -- making sure that everyone has health insurance. Instead, he would focus on regulating the insurance industry more and lowering the cost of providing health care - parts of health reform both Democrats and Republicans might be able to agree on.

In his speech about health reform in September, President Obama sandwiched the importance of insuring everyone between the more popular parts of health reform -- lowering costs and protecting people who already have insurance. Young adults are less likely to be offered health insurance at work, usually don't qualify for government programs, and get dropped from their parents' insurance plans. More regulation of the health insurance industry wouldn't help people who can't afford insurance. Despite their support for President Obama in the 2008 election, many young people could be in danger of getting left out of health reform now.

Previously:

Health Reform in the Balance

rpereira — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:50:06 -0600

By: Emily Beaver

Members of Congress have been arguing about health care reform for months, but now the pressure is really on.

What's happening with reform

The Senate passed its health care reform bill on Christmas Eve and the House of Representatives passed its own bill in October. Now, leaders from the House and the Senate are scrambling to combine the two different bills into one health care reform bill -- which both the House and Senate will have to vote on again.

So what's the rush? Congress can pass health care reform at any time, but Democrats are concerned about an election happening in Massachusetts today. Voters will elect a new senator to replace the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, a Democrat who died in August 2009. If a Republican wins the election, Democrats will no longer have 60 votes in the Senate -- which Senate Democrats need to pass the bill. (And members of Congress need to address other issues, like jobs and the economy.)

The details

Before a health care reform bill can be passed into law, both the House and Senate will have have to work out the differences between their health bills. The bills differ on issues like how much money someone can earn and still qualify to get insured through the government's Medicaid program, whether insurance plans sold in a health insurance exchange should cover the cost of abortion, and how much money the government will reimburse individuals who buy insurance through an exchange. President Obama is working with members of Congress to work out other details about health reform, like taxing expensive or "Cadillac" health insurances plans to cover costs of reform.

Why does it matter?

Health care reform could make a big difference for young people. Young adults ages 19-29 are less likely to have health insurance than any other age group, because many aren't offered health insurance at work or get dropped from their parents' insurance plans.

If reform is passed, everyone would be required to get health insurance. Health reform would let young people stay insured under their parents' health plans longer. Young people who don't get insurance through work or a parent would be able to get insured the Medicaid program, a government-run health insurance program, or buy their own insurance from an exchange.

In today's economy, many young adults are struggling to find jobs -- let alone jobs that offer health insurance. Young people can purchase health insurance from the individual market, but individual insurance isn't always affordable or available to people with pre-existing health conditions. If Congress doesn't pass health care reform, it's likely that young people will have few options for affordable health insurance.

Previously:

Growing Up in the Sickest Part of America

wilmer — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:36:03 -0500

As heard on NPR's Morning Edition.

By Brittany Hunsaker

My nineteenth birthday was a bittersweet occasion. That day, I officially aged out of Kentucky’s insurance program for low income youth.

As luck would have it, I developed a health problem almost immediately. Pain in my teeth spread to my head and neck. Headaches made it impossible to concentrate in my college classes. I couldn’t see well enough to drive. Going to the doctor or dentist costs more than my weekly paycheck from a fast food restaurant. I had to choose between oral surgery and textbooks that semester. Textbooks lost, but luckily I made it through that class.

When it comes to healthcare, I do have options. Just not good ones. In the rural county where I grew up, it’s not just young people who don’t have insurance. Adults, unemployed or underemployed in minimum wage jobs are also without coverage. You can get healthcare there if you’re in a dire situation…like if you’re pregnant or recovering from drug addiction. I know a few girls who got pregnant just to afford a doctor’s visit, or had another baby just to keep their health insurance.

I am not financially or emotionally ready to bring a child into this world. But I feel like I am being penalized for getting an education while others are rewarded for their reproductive capabilities.

My friend Willa Johnson is also in college and uninsured. Going to the doctor to check a cough is a luxury she can’t afford. Last spring, she started feeling sick. By the time she went to the emergency room, she had full-blown pneumonia. A week later, Willa found herself in the emergency room again. She’d torn the muscles around her rib cage from coughing. Seven months later, Willa is not completely healed. Her cough is painful to hear. Still, she worries more about the bill collectors calling for those ER visits than her health.

My friend Brian Hobbs just graduated from college and he’s about to lose his insurance. He won’t be able to afford the prescription for his glasses. What happens if he gets sick? Brian is scared he won’t find a job that pays enough to cover rent and food, let alone annual insurance.

Looking at my own future, I’m worried that my health will keep getting worse…that my teeth will keep bothering me, that I’ll keep ignoring aches and pains, that I’ll continue to just google symptoms to see if things are serious enough to warrant a bill.

I grew up in one of the sickest communities in America, with the lowest life expectancy of any area in the United States. Lower than China or Mexico. Cancer, diabetes, addiction, obesity, depression all look like epidemics there, and that adds to my worry.

I don’t think any position I’m going to get out of college will come with health insurance. I don’t know a single friend from college who has a job like that. A sick workforce only intensifies an already sick economy. It’s hard to work when you can’t afford eyeglasses for your astigmatism, dental work for your rotting teeth, or medicine for pneumonia. We’re constantly being told we are the future of the country, but we’re starting out a step behind.

22 year old Brittany Hunsaker is part of the Appalachian Media Institute.

Fighting Health Reform on Facebook

rpereira — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:27:51 -0600

By: Emily Beaver

Forget town hall. The battle over health care reform is now happening on Facebook.

Last week, a group backed by the health insurance industry got some bad press when the Business Insider reported that the group was offering Facebook gamers "virtual cash" to send e-mails to their Congressional representatives opposing health care reform.

Get Health Reform Right, a group made up associations that support the health insurance industry, was offering "virtual currency" people can use to play Facebook games like Mafia Wars and FarmVille. But to get the money, players had to fill out a survey about health care reform. Completing the survey generated an automatic e-mail, which was sent to the player's Congressional representative, saying "I am concerned a new government plan could cause me to lose the employer coverage I have today. More government bureaucracy will only create more problems, not solve the ones we have."

Critics say this amounts to virtual "astroturfing," a nickname for creating political support artificially. Supporters of health care reform have fired back, placing ads of Facebook saying health insurers are bribing gamers to claim they oppose health reform.

The health insurance industry groups who belong to Get Health Reform Right have denied that they were involved with these offers. But the health insurance industry, which could lose money if our health care system changes, has been one of the biggest opponents of health reform.

As the Senate struggles to come up with a health care reform bill that 60 senators will vote for, some skeptics say health care reform won't happen. But the health insurance industry seems to be taking the possibility of reform serious enough to trick Facebook games into sending pre-written e-mails opposing reform. And some members of Congress are saying the form e-mails are proof their constituents don't want health reform to happen.

"Astroturfing" has been around longer than Facebook, but using Facebook games to create a false sense of support for a political cause is scary. On Facebook, most of us don't think twice before clicking on a new survey, application, or even a third-party offer, which was what Get Health Reform Right used to lure gamers to fill out the surveys. The worst part of virtual astroturfing isn't that it creates a false sense of political support -- it's that e-mails from constituents who are genuinely concerned about the issue may get lost in the spam that virtual astroturfing creates.

Previously:

Abortion Amendment Sparks Rallies

rpereira — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:57:19 -0600

By: Emily Beaver

Today, abortion-rights groups across the country are lobbying against the Stupak amendment, the controversial amendment in the House of Representative's health reform bill that bans federal spending on abortion coverage.

Groups like Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America are holding a lobby day in Washington, D.C., as part of a national "week of action." Hundreds of abortion-rights advocates are expected to gather on Capitol Hill to rally against the amendment, which would prohibit the Medicaid program from covering abortions and would prohibit women who receive government subsidies from buying health plans that cover abortion from a health insurance exchange.

In San Francisco, several reproductive health advocacy groups are planning a rally against the Stupak amendment at noon today at San Francisco City Hall. Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, NARAL Pro-Choice California, and other groups want California's senators to oppose the ban on abortion coverage in health reform. The advocates plan to speak about the importance of passing health reform legislation that inculdes coverage for abortion services.

Previously:

Breaking Down the House Health Reform Bill

rpereira — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:40:07 -0600

By: Emily Beaver

Last weekend, the House of Representatives passed its version of health care reform, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, or H.R. 3962. The bill is almost 2,000 pages long. Haven't read it yet? Here are a few parts of the bill that could have a big impact on young people.

The Individual Mandate
Under H.R. 3962, everyone would be required to have health insurance, a policy known as an "individual mandate." This could be a big change for people ages 19-29, who are less likely to have health insurance than other age groups. However, the bill doesn't just require everyone to get insurance -- it aims to make getting insurance easier. Allowing more people to be insured through the Medicaid program, letting young people stayed insured under their parents' plans until age 27, and creating an exchange where individuals could buy health insurance are a few strategies to help more people get insured. Anyone who doesn't have insurance would be fined up to 2.5 percent of their income.

Staying Insured Under a Parent's Plan
The House bill would allow children to stay insured under their parents' private health insurance plans until age 27. This change could occur as soon as January 2010, unlike other parts of health care reform that wouldn't go into effect until 2013, Rodgers says. Since some states allow insurance companies to to drop young people from their parents' health plans once they reach their late teens or early twenties, this change could help more young people keep their health insurance.

Expanding Medicaid
Experts say that young people are less likely to be insured because they often don't get health benefits at work and usually don't qualify for government health insurance programs like Medicare or Medicaid. But the House bill would make states change eligibility rules to allow more people to get health insurance through Medicaid, a government-run health insurance program for poor and very low-income people. Right now, Medicaid insures parents with dependent children, pregnant women, children, senior citizens and some people with disabilities, so most young adults don't qualify for the program, says Melissa Rodgers, associate director of the Berkeley Center on Health, Economic and Family Security. Under the House bill, some young adults without children would now be able to qualify for Medicaid. The bill would also change Medicaid rules to insure people who earn up to 150 percent of the federal poverty limit. Under the 2009 guidelines, 150 percent of the federal poverty limit would be $16,245 a year for an individual.

The Health Insurance Exchange and the Individual Market
Health reform could lead to major changes for Americans who don't get insurance through work, a parent or spouse's health plan, or through Medicare or Medicaid. Right now, most of these people buy private health insurance plans from the individual market or go without insurance. The House bill would create a health insurance exchange, which would sell private and government-run health insurance plans.

By creating a health insurance exchange, the government would move people away from the individual market, Rodgers says. H.R. 3962 creates four tiers of health insurance plans, which limits how much consumers can spend on insurance plans, based on what medical services the plans offer. The tiers are meant to make it easier for consumers to compare insurance plans offered by different private insurance companies, as well as any insurance plans offered by the government, Rodger says. Right now, there are few to no standards for how much insurers can charge for health insurance plans sold on the individual market or what benefits those plans must offer.

So when will these changes start affecting you? Before anything in the House bill can become a law, the Senate has to pass its own version of health care reform. Then both the House and Senate have to combine their bills, then the final bill has to pass both the House and Senate again before the president can sign a bill into law.

Right now, two different health reform bills are moving around the Senate. However, these bills share some of the same goals, including expanding the Medicaid program, letting young people stayed insured under their parents' health plans longer, and creating an insurance exchange, Rodgers says. So there's a good chance these changes will show up if Congress passes health reform.

Previously:

Do You Need Dental Insurance?

rpereira — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:57:06 -0600

By: Emily Beaver

If you've been skipping dentist visits to save some cash, you're not alone.

Recent surveys say that many Americans, even ones who have dental insurance, skipped dental care in 2009 to save money. And people who don't have dental insurance, which is usually sold separately from health insurance, are even more likely to skip dentist visits.

Young adults, in general, are less likely to have health insurance than older adults or children. Many aren't offered health or dental insurance benefits at work -- and even when they are offered dental insurance, some young people choose to skip the extra expense of dental insurance. The Affordable Health Care for America Act, the health care reform bill U.S. House of Representatives passed Saturday, requires everyone to have health insurance, but it doesn't require everyone to have dental insurance.

"People are more likely to spend money on health insurance and skip over dental insurance," says Keith Mendonsa, consumer expert at eHealthInsurance, a company that lets people search for and purchase individual health and dental insurance plans.

Keeping your mouth healthy is important, says Liz Rogers, director of communications and public affairs for Oral Health America. The organization works to improve public health by eliminating oral disease.

"People need to remember that oral health is very much connected to overall health," Rogers says. "Any bacteria or decay in your mouth can travel to other parts of your body."

For a 20-year-old man or woman in the San Francisco bay area, the average monthly premium for dental insurance is about $25, Mendonsa says.

But basic dental services like fluoride applications and sealants cost less than $50 each, so what's the advantage of spending about $300 a year on dental insurance?

The answer has to do with how dental insurance works. Unlike health insurance, dental insurance must be sold to everyone, regardless of whether they have pre-existing conditions, Mendonsa says. This standard is called guaranteed issue. The catch is that most dental insurance plans require that you have insurance for six months before your insurance pays for services other than preventive care -- such as a tooth extraction or a root canal, he says. So if wait until you think you need care to buy dental insurance, or if you have an emergency while you're uninsured, you may end up with a large bill.

If you don't get insurance through a parent or work, there are alternative ways to get care, Rogers says. Self-care, or daily brushing and flossing, is important and get any problems, like white lesions or wounds in your mouth, checked out by a professional, she says. Oral Health America recommends that people who don't have dental insurance visit dental school clinics, which provide low-cost, high-quality dental care. You can also visit a free or low-cost clinic that charges on a "sliding scale" based on your income, she says.

If you decide to buy an individual dental insurance plan, make sure your dentist is in your insurance plan's network, Mendonsa says. If you visit a dentist outside of your plan's network, your care may not be covered by your insurer. He also recommends looking for dental plans with a $1,000 annual maximum benefit. Your annual maximum benefit is how much your insurance company will spend for your care in a year. Choosing a lower maximum benefit, like $750, only saves you a few dollars off your monthly a premium, but you'll end up paying $250 more out of pocket if you need care that costs more than your maximum benefit.

Previously: