How Much Would Obamacare Cost 20-Somethings in Every State? More Than Obama Claims

A map showing the Obamacare cost for 20-somethings in every state
Impact

The March 31 deadline to #getcovered is fast approaching and while individuals are certainly struggling in every state with the unintended consequences of Obamacare, what does it actually cost to make sure that you #getcovered?

The White House wants you to think it's going to be cheap.

But after reviewing prices in every state, that's now what the data shows. The map below uses the following criteria to determine the lowest possible premium for enrolling a typical 20-something in a program that is desperate for our participation to achieve its goals:

1. 25 year old male

Under this criteria, you would not be eligible for subsidies in any state. The premiums presented do not necessarily contain dental protection, and there may be other charges related to the plans. For instance, many have high deductibles (around $5,000), meaning you'd be responsible for health care costs below that threshold. Say in a given year, if you spend $4,000 on doctor visits, you'd pay that out-of-pocket, in addition to your annual health insurance premium. You'll also notice there are large disparities between the cost of coverage in each state, a result of the legal inability to buy health insurance from other states.

Image Credit: Google Maps

Obamacare was designed around increasing access and coverage and decreasing prices. With it's implementation, the punditry has seized on the fact that finding examples of the law's successes and failures are best shown by personal experiences. While these are effective in poking the opposition, they don't always effectively show the economic impact of the law.

Our generation is going to bear some serious upfront costs. Health insurance premiums are up 39-56% from pre-Obamacare levels and premiums are expected to effectively double in 2015.  

With the deadline for having health care coverage fast approaching, how does your state measure up? Are you paying more or less? How do you feel about your coverage?