Young, Invincible, and Now Forced to Shell-Out for Health Care
Mike Brownfield /
You’re 27 and employed, but you’re not raking in the dough. You’ve always been healthy, so the fact that you don’t have health insurance isn’t a big deal to you. Now, though, you’re hearing something about a “congressional mandate” to buy health insurance.
The health insurance industry considers you a member of the “Young Invincible” demographic (whether you realize it or not). Like many of the rest of the people in your demographic, you’ve decided that you don’t want to shell-out a few thousand dollars a year for health insurance because you usually don’t go to the doctor, and the cost just isn’t worth it. After all, that’s your prerogative, right?
According to reports, among the millions of Americans in your demographic, one in three is uninsured. Who you are or why you don’t want to spend money on health insurance really doesn’t matter.
Maybe you’re waiting tables, saving up some money so you can travel before you start grad school. Or you’re a personal trainer and you want to put some dollars away so you can start your own business. You could be overseas for a few months, and health insurance in the United States won’t do you any good, anyhow. You might even need to pinch every penny so you can buy an engagement ring for your girlfriend. Whatever the reason, you’ve decided to risk not having health insurance because there are other priorities that you would rather spend money on.