People over the age of 30 would be able to purchase catastrophic health care plans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) under legislation recently introduced by U.S. Sens. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA).
Currently, the ACA doesn’t allow people under the age of 30 to purchase low-cost, high-deductible catastrophic health coverage that can prevent medical emergencies from resulting in bankruptcy unless they meet hardship exemption criteria. The Increasing Access to Care Act would strike the age-based restriction and give consumers more options for health care coverage.
“By increasing access to affordable health care plans for Americans of all ages, we are offering American families more choices when it comes to their health care,” Scott said. “These plans, currently only available for people under the age of 30, can help prevent medical bankruptcy in the event of emergency, and also ensure more families have the option to choose the health care plan that best fits their needs and budget.”
Scott and Cassidy introduced the bill with bipartisan support from U.S. Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Mark Warner (D-VA).
“Many are uninsured now because they cannot afford their premiums on the Obamacare exchanges. Let’s give families another option,” Cassidy said. “Giving families the power to choose is always good.”