The Final State of the Union
This is historical material “frozen in time”. The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work.
Summary:
The Department of Health and Human Services launched a new facebook page that contains step-by-step instructions on how young adults can stay on their parents’ plan and features a video with Kalpen Modi, Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
The HealthCare.gov family on Facebook is growing. Today, the Department of Health and Human Services launched a new page dedicated to making sure that young adults and their parents know the steps they need to take to stay insured. The new facebook page contains step-by-step instructions on how young adults can stay on their parents’ plan and features a video with Kalpen Modi, Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
Before the Affordable Care Act, health plans could remove enrolled children usually at age 19, sometimes older for full-time students. Now, most health plans that cover children must make coverage available to young adults up to age 26. Parents just need to enroll their children in the appropriate open enrollment period. This gives young adults the flexibility to look for jobs and pursue the higher education of their choice.
Before reform passed, too many young adults struggled to get the care they need:
- 42% of young adults either lost or switched coverage once they graduated from school – 46% of which were uninsured for two or more years.
- 76% of young adults who were uninsured reported not getting needed care because they couldn’t afford it.
- 11.3 million young adults, both uninsured and insured, who were surveyed said they were paying off medical bills.
The Affordable Care Act will help 1.2 million young adults remain on their parent’s health insurance plan and drive down costs for all Americans.
