To the editor:
Several days ago a college student, Emily, said that she felt one great feature of the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare) is that children can stay on their parents' health care insurance until age 26, which is a boon to college students.
Another writer demeaned that idea by asking, "Why should we pay more because you chose to go to college?" There are three good answers to that question.
1. Insurance is just that - insurance - an averaging of need and usage. For example: "One says we should exclude you because you are a man, eat doughnuts every morning and work at a job with a high injury rate" and so on. Why exclude college students?
2. Everyone should appreciate the effort and expense it takes to attend college and support those young people as much as possible. An educated youth makes a strong country.
3. "We" are not paying. It is covered by the parents' insurance and may be included in their family plan.
Congratulations, Emily, for persevering in learning things that will be of benefit to us all. Stay healthy, but I'm glad you have health insurance if you need it.
Jackie Fisher
Lewistown
