deductibles. For plans created
before that date, such benefits
may not be available. To learn
more, visit healthcare.gov and
search for “preventive care.”
Prevention is particularly
important for young people.
Whether they have a chronic
disease or not, they have a
lifetime before them. “If you do
basic preventive care and take
care of any health conditions
early, later on in life you’ll be in
better shape,” Smith stated.
Medicaid expansions, maybe
Expansions in eligibility requirements for Medicaid are scheduled to take effect in 2014.
“More young people could get
coverage through these expansions than almost any other
provision,” Smith observed.
A substantial number of
people under 34 are low income.
Under current requirements, if
someone doesn’t have a child
under the age of 18, it’s very
difficult to qualify for Medicaid.
Under the ACA, any American
earning less than 133% of the
Federal Poverty Level (
approximately $14,400 per year per
individual) could qualify.
Estimates are that this change
alone would cover up to nine
million currently uninsured
young adults.
However, numerous challenges to the constitutionality
of the ACA have been filed in
a variety of courts nationwide,
increasing the likelihood that
the Supreme Court will rule on
certain provisions. Observers
expect Supreme Court deliberations to begin sometime in
2012.
To learn more, visit national
MSsociety.org/healthinsurance,
where you will find regularly
updated FAQs about the ACA
and how it affects people living
with MS. n
Marcella Durand is associate editor of
this magazine.
ADVERTISEMENT
You can
be there for her.
Even if you can’t be there with her.
CaringBridge helps connect people during a
significant health challenge. Patients and
families can easily create a free website to
share the experience, save time and
energy, and receive support.
To create your own website
that gives recognition to the
National Multiple Sclerosis Society, visit
www.CaringBridge.org/NationalMSSociety
