Millennials And Healthcare

by Chris Bodenner

Ryan Streeter wonders why the "choice generation" - known for scrutinizing and customizing their tech-laden world - does not apply that same individualism to healthcare reform:

One possible explanation is that the details of intelligent healthcare reformnamely, reform that optimizes the role of choiceare too difficult to understand or haven’t been explained adequately or both. Another is that young people place a higher value on fairness and equality than choice, at least with regard to this issue. [...] A third possible explanation is that choice just doesn’t matter as much in healthcare. People just want the assurance of insurance. They don’t want to shop the same way they shop for mobile phones or TVs. But they only value that assurance up until it means radical government oversight and expense, and older people simply have more experience understanding what increased government means for their own taxes and quality of life. [...W]hile I suspect that all three play a role, if I were a betting man, I’d put money on number one.

A simpler reason is that millennials are the healthiest people at the moment, and thus insulated from the direct and myriad implications of reform - and healthcare in general.  Which relates to why millennials like myself  "just want the assurance of insurance."

(Hat tip: KHN's Kate Steadman)