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| Tchernavia Montgomery, executive director of Charlotte-based Care Ring, said North Carolina legislators’ reluctance to expand Medicaid eligibility, combined with the inability to access private health insurance through the federal marketplace, has led to He said it was becoming more difficult for young adults to get insurance. |
When Tash Qawwee aged 22 and out of her mother’s health insurance, she began to worry about how a serious illness would affect her financial health.
“I do my best not to cause harm. If something happens, I try to deal with it to the best of my ability and knowledge,” said Qawwee, 25. I was.
Qawwee is enrolled in Medicaid Family Planning, but she can only cover health checks. As a sole proprietor who cannot join the company’s plan, she must pay for her medical expenses out of her own pocket, and private insurance poses an additional financial burden.
“I don’t have private insurance because I don’t have a full-time job to pay premiums or get insurance coverage,” she said. “The fear of being in a situation where you need to see a doctor is the scariest part.”
Like Qawwee, most people in Mecklenburg County who do not have adequate health insurance are young. About 50 percent of her 18-29 year olds in the county do not have health insurance, according to a survey conducted by the Department of Health.
“Access to primary care continues to be one of the major health concerns for residents of Mecklenburg County,” said Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Dr. Raynard Washington. “This report provides a snapshot of the current situation, provides some recommendations for all community stakeholders and, of course, provides data to inform decisions and progress.”
This population remains the most uninsured of any age group, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
In the 2019 American Community Survey, adults aged 19 to 34 made up 30% of uninsured Americans. According to a 2021 Mecklenburg County Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System study, approximately 11% of Mecklenburg County residents do not have insurance, and 23% of residents report having no primary care provider. increase.
When people do not receive medical care, acute conditions that could have been managed with regular screening may become more serious, resulting in more complex care and higher costs in clinics. will be
“Our state hasn’t expanded Medicaid, so it may be more difficult to be covered by the public,” said Tchernavia Montgomery, executive director of Charlotte nonprofit Care Ring. We have to migrate, and it can be difficult to make that migration or absorb the cost.”
Many people no longer have health insurance if they are excluded from their parents’ health insurance after age 26 when they are no longer considered dependents under the Affordable Care Act. Unless they get a health insurance job when he turns 27, they will be on federal market insurance.
“That means you can go to college, enter the world of work, and get insurance while you’re looking for a job or in between jobs,” Montgomery said.
Before ACA, many college graduates were uninsured because many health plans and insurance companies excluded young people from their parents’ insurance because of their age.
Younger people have less access to employer-based insurance and typically start with entry-level part-time jobs or join small businesses that do not offer health insurance.
While it’s possible to take out private insurance during the gap, for people between jobs, it’s a luxury many can’t afford or even think about.
JarQuez Anderson, 25, who has not had health insurance since October 2020, said: He cannot work and support his family. ”
When Anderson couldn’t get her parents to get a checkup, she started looking for a job that could help her with these issues, but it didn’t work out. Like many, Anderson believes that employers should provide medical insurance.
“That’s how it felt [not offered] “Because they are cheap,” he said. “The state needs to look more at companies that don’t offer benefits because I think companies should always offer benefits if you work for them.”
A common belief among many young people is that they are in perfect health and can live without health insurance. According to CMS, 1 in 6 of her young adults has a chronic condition such as cancer, asthma or diabetes. Nearly half of uninsured American youth report difficulty paying for health care because of high medical costs, making it difficult to pay premiums.
North Carolina has not expanded Medicaid coverage, but if the state did expand Medicaid, 64,281 residents in Mecklenburg County and 600,000 people statewide would be covered. As of October, more than 2 million North Carolinians are covered by public insurance programs. In 2022, the federal government offered the state her $5.9 billion to expand Medicaid, but Republican-leaning Congress said no.
Lawmakers were unable to reach a mutual agreement on logistics and are expected to revisit the topic in 2023.
Report For America member Aaliyah Bowden covers health for The Post. Mayra Parrilla Guerrero is a correspondent.
