WKSU News: Healthcare overhaul covering the previously-uncovered

Thursday, June 28, 2012 Healthcare overhaul covering the previously-uncovered Pre-existing conditions, college grads now eligible for healthcare... at a cost by WKSU's KABIR BHATIA	Reporter Kabir Bhatia

Jewelry artiste Jen Baskin (right) likes parts of the Affordable Care Act, but missed out on others

Courtesy of K. Bhatia

In The Region:

Some of President Obama’s most fervent fans – twenty-somethings – are breathing a sigh of relief at today’s Supreme Court ruling upholding the health-care overhaul. The law allows parents to include children on their policy till age 26. But it also prohibits denial of coverage based on a pre-existing condition… for all ages. As part of WKSU’s coverage of Ohioans who have been directly affected by the law, WKSU’s Kabir Bhatia reports on two Kent State grads who could be benefiting from the Affordable Care Act.

Healthcare overhaul covering the previously-uncovered

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Recent college grad Katy Robinson must wait for a job, or more affordable coverage, before she has health insurance

Jen Baskin spends her days designing jewelry, and her nights making jewelry. Since graduating from Kent State five years ago, she’s grown her metal-smithing business… and paid for her own insurance.

“I danced semi-professional ballet for 18 years and have osteoarthritis in my hips, which counts against me immensely. Under a coverage plan, I’m considered high-risk.”

High-risk, but not uninsurable. The Affordable Care Act saw to it that pre-existing conditions do not determine eligibility for insurance. But Baskin says her condition does drive the cost of that insurance.

“There is no rule saying that they can’t gouge you for every penny you’re worth. My premium payment is why I’m living at home with my parents at 28. Because my premium payment, is a monthly payment for rent.”

Baskin has investigated ways to lower her premiums, which she says are about 200 dollars higher each month due to her osteoarthritis. Her parents are covered through her father’s employer, which Baskin just missed out on.

“Piggy-backing on my parents’ quit, literally, the year that they said ‘Oh, OK, now you can be 26 and piggyback.’ I turned 26 that year.”

Another Kent State grad who missed out on that part of the law is Katy Robinson. The 23-year-old from Akron has a freshly minted degree in electronic media. She also has three years before her parents would have to boot her from their insurance. But she’s not covered at all.

“I think it’s just too expensive since my parents both buy their own insurance. To add me on would be a lot of extra money that we don’t have right now. Eventually [I have to buy my own] unless I find a job that has benefits. Which would be super-awesome. But unlikely right now.”

Her father just started a one-man water filtration business, and her mother works part-time. Robinson herself has a part-time job, and says her plan is to stay healthy and cautious till she has more money, or till the insurance companies want less to cover her.

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