Health insurance and young people
Pennsylvania fighting to insure young adults
Those 18 to 35 are among those with least coverage in Pennsylvania, and elected officials are fighting right now to pass a law that would require insurance companies to offer parents the option of keeping their children on their health insurance until age 29. Especially in the current economy, students are graduating college without secure jobs and therefore no certain health coverage. However, the Kaiser Family Foundation finds faults with the proposed law and with similar mandates in other states. Read the full article from Pittsburgh Tribune here.
Option for college graduates in Illinois
The Chicago Tribune outlines all the options for young people just out of school. As with most other states and most other populations, young adults covered by their parents insurance are set, but those with pre-existing conditions face a whole bunch of challenges.
Health Affairs publishes an article about uninsurance and affordability
“Based on simulated bill paying, this paper examines trends in comprehensiveness of coverage, out-of-pocket spending for medical services, underinsurance, and the affordability of employer-based insurance from 2004 to 2007.”
Want to know more? Check out RWV’s fact sheet on this issue – it includes a checklist of things to consider if you’re young and uninsured.
Interesting I support a single payer because of this problem. My daughter will loose her health care when she turns 18 (or reaches her max of a million dollars, whichever comes first.)
I never really thought about it before. However, last year she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, and now getting insurance will be difficult if not impossible…
🙂
Terra,
Sounds like a really difficult situation. However, hopefully not only the single-payer option will make it possible for your daughter to be covered. That is, if elected officials include a comprehensive, no-rating public option in addition to private insurance option.
We wish you the best of luck.