Magic Johnson Gives Obamacare An Assist

President Barack Obama has called upon friend Magic Johnson to help people #getcovered under the Affordable Healthcare Act aka “Obamacare.”

The NBA legend has shot a video encouraging people, mainly young people, who think they’re “invincible,” to get covered under the health insurance plan. “Good healthcare is important to me because everyone deserves to have good healthcare.” Johnson says.

The former Lakers star has long been a vocal advocate of good health. Johnson’s announcement in 1991 that he was HIV-positive rocked the NBA world and sparked conversation about early detection. Since then, Johnson has shared his journey of dealing with his diagnosis while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. He has segued his basketball career into many successful business ventures, which he attributes to getting checked out early.

“Early detection can save people’s live and I’m living proof of that” he says in the PSA. “I would not be where I am without a good healthcare plan.” Johnson details getting a physical and discovering the diagnosis. Free yearly preventive exams have been a strong argument in Obama’s campaign and induction of the Affordable Care Act.

Johnson encourages young athletes to consider injuries and how sports will affect their health in the long run. ”As an athlete, I understood the value of my health insurance. I knew that in my profession, injuries were common and could happen at any time,” he explains.

Johnson has been a strong supporter of Obama. He and wife Cookie Johnson opened their home in November 2013 for a presidential fundraiser.

“Magic has become a prime example of somebody who was blessed with incredible fame and fortune from a sports career and understood his next step is to build institutions and businesses and employ people and go into communities that folks said weren’t worth anything and find that they’re worth a whole lot if somebody’s willing to invest in them,” Obama said at the fundraiser.