It’s crucial that college students start thinking about Obamacare — maintaining our own health insurance plans is a closer reality than many college students might think.

Eighty percent of students are not well enough aware of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchange, according to a Sept. 26 USA Today article. The site, which launched on Oct. 1, compares insurance plans through an online market place model, and then allows users to choose a plan based on income and age. This exchange can be found on healthcare.gov.

College students often push the thought of insurance plans to the back of their minds because for many, it is not an immediate necessity. Those under the age of 26 are covered by their parents’ insurance plans, unless they receive insurance from an employer.

But 26 isn’t that far off, and some college students will be responsible for their own health insurance before they reach this age.

Students need to become more educated on Obamacare now to avoid purchasing an insufficient plan at the last minute. A lack of knowledge on the subject could cause college students, when they do become responsible for their own plans, to make poor choices.

Obamacare will benefit college students, especially those not fortunate enough to rely on their parents’ health coverage. After all, not everyone has a secure health insurance plan.

It will also allow students to choose plans without the fear of being denied coverage because of a pre-existing health condition, according to USA Today.

Obamacare will one day be an option for health coverage for today’s college students. It is important that they take an interest now to ensure they make the best decisions in the future.

They should also understand its value in American politics. Obamacare has caused massive contention and even a government shutdown as Republicans attempted to upend the law’s passage — its importance in the changing landscape of American politics cannot be denied. Voters, specifically those of college age, need to understand the issue.

In politics, nothing can be accomplished without a strong understanding of the issue. The same can be said for students entering the world of health care.

Published on October 29, 2013 at 1:22 am

Contact: opinion@dailyorange.com