Public Option

The main premise of the president's health-care reform is to extend coverage to everyone, and to make that financially attainable, the system will rely on young (and presumably more healthy) consumers entering the market. But there's a potential snag in the financing plan: younger Americans might not opt to sign up for insurance.The Affordable Care Act requires citizens to sign up for health-care insurance by 2014 or face a fine. With more healthier bodies in the insurance system, it would lead to lower premiums for older consumers.But a new poll from the American Action Forum finds the opposite is true: Younger consumers will choose to pay the annual penalty instead of coverage.The poll finds that premiums will rise sharply in 2014, and that Americans ages 18-40 will instead choose to pay the penalties over these increased prices. In a group of current insurance purchasers, 83% say they will still purchase insurance if premiums rise 10%, 65% will purchase it if premiums rise 20% and 5...

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