So This Is Really Just a Tax, Right?

The projected cost of Obamacare will go up by 190% for younger males (age 27).  The bare bones premium will go up from $2000 to $5000 per year.

There was a time period when I was on this exact type of insurance between quitting my day job and getting into the WGA.  I remember it being a really big bill, especially when you add it to the other costs of living - rent, utilities, car insurance, etc.  And this, while not a lucrative time in one's life, nor hopefully long, it can be hugely important in terms of establishing oneself professionally.  No one should underestimate this aspect -- for young men trying to establish themselves, they need to be able to take calculated risks.  The consequences are huge.  Those who are able to jump start careers will make families, buy houses, become leaders in the community, and pay large amounts of taxes.  Those who don't are more likely to become deadbeat dads, dependent on the government in some way in the future, and not useful to society.

Forcing these guys to pay an extra $3000 per year for the same coverage is a lot to ask.  Most won't be able to afford it -- and they'll be more likely to stick in dead end jobs to keep the coverage.  Even the better off ones who can borrow from family or tap into savings to pay for it will not be well off because the very nature of living in this state of professional risk requires not knowing how long you will be in it.  Maybe insurance costs at this level for 1 year is tolerable.  But for 3?  5?  Not a good option.

Maybe in the long run, Obamacare will cause premiums and healthcare costs to go down.  Maybe they'll go down on their own.  Or maybe it'll end up just causing more paperwork and a shuffling of costs to productive segments of the healthcare pool and giving more goodies to the less advantaged.  I suppose that is always an option with any of this stuff and can always be justified by the same logic -- they need it more.  I just hope we don't run out of people to pay for these things.