Congressman Snyder Introduces Bill To Provide Health Insurance to Young Adults Washington, DC – U. S. Representative Vic Snyder introduced the Health Care for Young Adults Act yesterday evening. The bill would provide federal funding to allow states to extend coverage to young adults under Medicaid and SCHIP who are ineligible for the programs because of age and financial standards. Young adults comprise a disproportionately large share of the nation’s uninsured. They account for more than 12 million of the 45 million people who lack health insurance. This is about 30 percent of all uninsured nationwide, despite the fact that this age group represents just 15 percent of the population. Almost half of all young adults living in poverty are without health insurance. In Arkansas, according to the Congressional Research Service, from 2001-2003, an average of 95,000 people aged 18-24 did not have health insurance each year. Based on Census data, this means that 36% of the Arkansas population in that age group was left without health insurance. "In our enthusiasm to adequately meet the health care needs of senior citizens, we must not neglect the demographic that has one of the highest percentages of uninsured,” Congressman Vic Snyder said. “Young adults are at great risk of ignoring health needs and incurring great debt because of their lack of health insurance. This bill would give states the option to help insure young people as they enter adulthood.” While young adults are usually a healthy group, going without health insurance introduces barriers to care when it is needed, and leaves young adults and their families at risk for high out-of-pocket costs in the event of severe illness or injury. Young adults, particularly women, need regular preventative care. Pregnancies, HIV, injuries, and chronic diseases bring large numbers of young adults to hospitals. States provide health care coverage to low-income uninsured children largely through two federal-state programs—Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). These public programs often reclassify children as adults when they turn 19, making them ineligible for coverage. Congressman Snyder’s bill would permit states to cover low-income youth under Medicaid and SCHIP up to age 23. States could expand the programs to age 23 all at once or could phase in the expansion one year at a time. It would offer states an enhanced federal match for the programs in order to encourage participation. Ten Members of Congress have signed on to Snyder’s bill as cosponsors: Marion Berry of Arkansas, Mike Ross of Arkansas, Sheila Jackson-Lee of Texas, Major R. Owens of New York, Bernard Sanders of Vermont, Tom Allen of Maine, Jim McDermott of Washington, Maurice Hinchey of New York, Donna Christensen of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Rahm Emanuel of Illinois. -30- |