Young Adults Would Make up One-Third of Newly Insured Under Reform

Tags: healthcare reform

Young adults ages 19 to 29 would make up about 30 percent of the 32 million expected to gain coverage under the healthcare reform law, according to a study by the Commonwealth Fund.

The law would cover up to 81 percent of the 14.9 million adults in that age group who are currently uninsured. Of the 12.1 million who would gain coverage under the law in 2014, 7.2 million would enter expanded Medicaid programs and 4.9 million would gain subsidized private coverage through the insurance exchanges when coverage mandates start. In the meantime, 1 million young adults are expected to join their parents’ policies under a new provision that started in September.

The survey found 76 percent of young adults who were uninsured reported not getting needed care because of cost, compared with 37 percent of young adults with coverage all year. In addition about 11.3 million young adults, both insured and uninsured, said they were paying off a medical debt.

Read the Commonwealth Fund report on healthcare reform (pdf).

Read more coverage of healthcare reform.

- 6 Points on New Reform Provisions Going Into Effect Sept. 23

- GOP Leader John Boehner Calls for Repeal of Obamacare

- HHS Warns Insurers Against Pinning High Rate Increases on Reforms

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