Around the world, the United States is viewed as a leader of change and progress. But, in America, many citizens struggle to obtain proper health care and health insurance. This void inadequate care and coverage costs Americans thousands of dollars and sends over half a million residents into bankruptcy every year.
In 2010, when former U.S. President Barack Obama’s healthcare plan the Affordable Care Act was introduced, over 3.8 million college students in the United States lacked health insurance of any kind. Six years after the enactment of the ACA, that number decreased by more than half with just under 1.7 million uninsured students, a modest decrease, but still a staggeringly large number considering there are roughly 16 million college students in the country.
A study performed by the Lookout Mountain Group, a group of university health officials appointed by President Obama, found that students in expanded Medicaid states (states where Medicaid coverage included college students) were more likely to have health insurance than those in unexpanded states. The study looked at expanded states like California where nearly 95% of the college students in the states had health coverage and compared them to unexpanded states like Texas where the number of insured students was 10% lower at 83%.
Though, some experts are worried that changes in legislation might affect the number of students who have health insurance. In 2017, the Trump administration eliminated the mandatory coverage requirement, where Americans would either need to possess health insurance or pay a fine. The elimination of this mandatory coverage could cause some to go without health insurance to put more money back in their pockets. But, there is hope the number of students without coverage will continue to decrease.
Despite changes in regulation, companies like Hooray Health are working to keep Americans healthy and away from expensive medical bills. Hooray Health provides affordable healthcare coverage to support its member’s basic medical needs. Partnered with over 2,500 urgent care and retail clinics throughout the United States, they provide high-quality health care at low costs, making them unlike anything else on the market. With more and more companies like Hooray Health emerging in today’s market, it’s safe to say that the future looks healthy for millions of Americans.