In 2009, the number of uninsured young adults climbed to 18.9 million people, which is about one third of the total uninsured population. We got involved in the health care debate with a simple premise: the status quo is broken for young people and young people should have a voice in how it gets fixed.
The facts are not disputable. Young adults are among the most uninsured people in the country. We often go without insurance because we are out of work, have a job with an employer that doesn’t cover us, are transitioning from school or from one job to another, can’t afford it, or have a pre-existing condition that makes getting insurance – affordable or otherwise – impossible. Any credible reforms would need to reduce gaps in coverage, make coverage more affordable, and improve the quality of care.
There is broad agreement that the system is busted. In fact, members of both political parties and people across the political spectrum have gone to great lengths to demonstrate that they understand the problem and want to address it. Of course, there is far less agreement about how to fix the system.
More importantly, young Americans of all political stripes – right, left, red, blue, green, pink, independent, indifferent, other – think that passing health care reform is important. A December 2009 report from the Commonwealth Fund indicates that a whooping 88% of young Americans – nearly 9 out of every 10 – think it is important that Congress and the Administration “provide affordable health insurance to all and improve health care overall.” That includes 98 percent of young people who identify themselves as Democrats, 73 percent of Republicans, and 88 percent of independents. This has always been a non-partisan issue for us . . . and for young people across the country.
As the process comes to a close, we have to keep asking: will the proposed reforms be a good deal for young people? We’re going to keep fighting to make sure that it is.
Tomorrow – on Christmas Eve – the Senate will vote on its health care bill, and then House and Senate leaders and the White House will meet to negotiate the final bill. Our commitment to you is to understand what is good and bad in the bills from the perspective of young Americans and to provide ways to have a say in order to make sure not just that health care legislation passes, but that health care legislation that is a good deal for young people passes.
Stay tuned. And happy holidays.
