What We’re Reading: ACA Enrollment Increase; Adult ADHD Surge; High Rent Health Effects

ACA Enrollment Breaks Record for Third Consecutive Year

CMS announced that health insurance enrollment through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace has broken a record for the third consecutive year, according to The Hill. With just less than a week left in the enrollment period, CMS noted that more than 20 million people enrolled in a 2024 ACA plan so far, already exceeding 2023’s total enrollment of 16.3 million. This enrollment period has many factors that set it apart from others, including a more flexible timeline; HealthCare.gov applicants had more time this year to submit documents verifying their income. Also, more insurers than ever participated in the marketplace, providing customers with a wider variety of plans to choose from.

More Adults Sought ADHD Help During Pandemic, Contributing to Drug Shortages

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment prescriptions for adults surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to contribute to lingering drug shortages, according to the Associated Press. A study published in JAMA Psychiatry explained that prescriptions for both stimulants and nonstimulants used to treat ADHD increased among adults after the pandemic hit in March 2020. Adults began seeking help for ADHD for various reasons, one being that they realized how easily distracted they get after working remotely during the pandemic. Telemedicine made it easier to get help as regulators started allowing doctors to prescribe drugs like Adderall without seeing a patient in person first. Consequently, both the rise in prescriptions and manufacturing problems caused an Adderall shortage, which has not yet let up.

High Rent in the US Harming Health, Shortening Lifespans

A recent study published in Social Science & Medicine found that paying high rent can shorten your lifespan, according to USA Today. The researchers explained that those who spent most of their income on rent were more likely to experience poor health and had a greater risk of premature death; they also linked evictions and the threat of being evicted to higher mortality rates. Additionally, tenants whose rent increased were more likely to suffer from chronic stress, which can lead to headache disorders, heart disease, and hypertension. Lastly, those who spend more than 30% of their monthly income on rent may be less likely to spend money on healthy foods and medical care, and they spend more time at work. The researchers explained that these health issues are a result of overall rent increases remaining higher than before the pandemic and tenants struggling to keep up.