THE STATE OF YOUNG AMERICA
HEALTH CARE
Young Invincibles and Demos partnered to complete the State of Young America report, the
first comprehensive look at the economic challenges facing young adults since the Great
Recession. In addition, we conducted a groundbreaking poll with Lake Research Partners and
Bellweather Research & Consulting of 872 young adults (18-34).
SUMMARY:
The Affordable Care Act has already helped one million young Americans get the care they
need, and provided parents with the peace of mind of knowing their family is covered.
Continued progress is urgent, because while nearly all young adults want health coverage,
they are far more likely to be uninsured, and the result is unmanageable costs, negative
health outcomes and uncertain economic futures.
o One million young adults, ages 18 to 24, are no longer uninsured thanks to the ACA -
with this increase in coverage coming just in the last quarter of 2010 and the first two
quarters of 2011.
o 71% of uninsured young adults say that they are uninsured because they cannot
afford insurance, their employer doesn’t offer it, or they have a pre-existing condition.
o Protecting health care services and access for low-income people was seen as one of
the priorities for Congress by 82% of young adults, behind only creating jobs and
making education more affordable.
o Under ACA, by 2014 over 8 million currently uninsured young adults will be eligible for
Medicaid, and almost 10 million uninsured young adults will be eligible for subsidies to
buy insurance in the exchanges.
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT: BUILDING A HEALTHIER FUTURE FOR YOUNG ADULTS
o The share of young adults 18-25 without coverage dropped from 28% in the third
quarter of 2010 to 24.2% in the second quarter of 2011.
o Young adults continue to be least insured age group in the country, at almost 20
million uninsured (18-34), but new affordable coverage options under the ACA will
significantly expand coverage to this population.
POLL CONFIRMS YOUNG ADULTS WANT HEALTH COVERAGE
SUMMARY: young adults are very worried about being able to afford health care for their
36% of
o Young adults are uninsured because fewer have jobs, fewer of those jobs have benefits than they once
family.
did, individual insurance is unaffordable for many often low-wage-earning young adults, and public
insurance young adults had some lack of public insurance like Medicaid.
14% ofcannot currently substitute for formof private coverage.
Young 4.6% of not Invincible: Preventive care, have health insurance, the rest get
o Onlyadults are young adults choose not to chronic illnesses, and catastrophic events are all
coverage or young people face.
health issues thatremain uninsured because they don’t have access to affordable care.
o The Affordable Care Act has begun to reduce uninsurance rates and will likely help many young people
82% of young people believe protecting health care services and access for low-
get coverage in the next few years as its provisions take effect.
income people should be a priority of Congress.
YOUNG ADULTS FACE SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL EXPENSES
Preventive care, chronic illnesses, and catastrophic events are all health issues that
young people face. However, young adults can ill-afford high out-of pocket costs. For
many, health care costs have the serious potential of wiping out often meager savings,
and forcing many to turn to credit cards to pay their medical debts.
o One in six young adults ages 18 to 24 has a “pre-existing condition.”
o Americans ages 19 to 29 find themselves in the emergency room more than any
others under the age of 75.
o Credit card debt is 79% higher for young adults with medical debt than those
without.
o In 2008, the average amount spent by an uninsured 18 to 24 year-old was $1,649.
The average for uninsured 25 to 34 year-olds was $2,121.
HOWEVER, MILLIONS OF YOUNG ADULTS CANNOT GET THE COVERAGE THEY NEED
o The proportion of full-time workers aged 18-24 with insurance through their job
dropped by 12.8% in the last 10 years alone.
o In 2009, just 43.7% of 18-24 year olds had employer-sponsored insurance (ESI).
This is a significant reduction even from 10 years ago, when 53% had ESI.
o In 2009, in the midst of the Recession, there were 1.5 million more 25 to 34 year-
olds without health insurance than there were at the beginning of the recession, and
813,000 more uninsured 18 to 24 year-olds.
o Uninsurance rates for young adults have risen consistently since the 1980’s and at a
faster rate than older Americans (see chart below).
For more information, please contact Aaron Smith at Aaron.Smith@YoungInvincibles.org.
Download the full report at www.StateofYoungAmerica.org.