Representing the 13th Congressional District of Pennsylvania
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 8, 2009 |
CONTACT: Rachel Magnuson, 202-225-6111 |
| Van Hollen, Dahlkemper, Schwartz, Baldwin Urge Inclusion of Provision to Improve Health Care for Young Adults: Would Allow People to Stay on Parents’ Insurance until Age 26 |
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“We owe it to the millions of young adults in this county to help provide them with affordable health care coverage in a time of transition and uncertainty in their lives, and I urge my colleagues to support this provision. It would have a significant impact on the one in three young adults who do not have health insurance, and is another example of an element of the health insurance reform bill that has bipartisan support,” said Van Hollen.
“This legislation is a no-cost, bipartisan solution to give young adults a path to affordable health care. By allowing them access to their parents’ health insurance, we offer affordable coverage to young adults, and we help reduce our health care costs overall. Young adults have the highest uninsured rate of any age group in the nation. When the unexpected happens and they end up in the hospital, the public too often foots the bill. Providing an affordable insurance option to young adults is a win-win for young Americans and our taxpayers,” said Dahlkemper.
“Ensuring that America’s young adults have affordable, meaningful access to health coverage is not simply about doing right by our youth, but it is a key economic issue. This common sense policy initiative is another example of our commitment as Democrats to tackling health reform by building on what works, and strengthening what needs fixed,” said Schwartz.
“Young adults are the largest uninsured population in the country, which has long been a concern for me,” said Baldwin. “Between low-wage jobs and flexible school arrangements, this age group falls through the cracks just at the moment when they should be establishing a regular source of health care. If parents have the option of including these young adults as dependents, we provide yet another means to provide affordable, quality coverage for all Americans.”
The Members will send a letter indicating this concern this week. The text of the letter is below:
Dear Chairmen Rangel, Waxman, Miller, and Chairwoman Slaughter:
As we continue to consider health reform legislation, we are writing to urge you to include language in the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 (H.R. 3200) that would allow young adults up to the age of 26 to remain on their parents’ health insurance policy.
Young adults ages 19 to 29 are one of the largest segments of the U.S. population without health insurance. They often lose coverage at age 19 or upon high school or college graduation. This segment of population comprises 29 percent of the total number of uninsured Americans.
Because young adults are dropped from their parents’ polices, they are left to find insurance on their own while making the often uneasy transition from high school to college to the working world. The typical young adult frequently changes jobs or holds part-time or temporary jobs – the kind of jobs that generally do not come with health insurance. Young adults are just starting jobs and careers, and often do not have access to job-based coverage. Even when they do have access to health insurance, they often do not have the money to spend on expensive health insurance. The lack of continuity and stability in coverage puts young adults’ health at risk and subjects them and their families to financial stress when they are starting out in the workforce.
The Senate HELP Committee included in its health reform bill a provision that would require group health plans, health insurance issuers, and individual health plans to cover young adults who are not more than 26 years of age if they provide insurance coverage of dependent children. We urge you to include the HELP Committee provision in its health reform legislation so that young adults do not have to worry about losing their health insurance at a time when they are transitioning into workforce.
Sincerely,
Chris Van Hollen
Member of Congress
Kathy Dahlkemper
Member of Congress
Allyson Schwartz
Member of Congress
Tammy Baldwin
Member of Congress
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