WASHINGTON DC - This week marks the one-year anniversary of the enactment of the health reform law. The Affordable Care Act is already helping young Americans - preventing discrimination against children with pre-existing conditions, and stopping insurance companies from kicking younger Americans off their insurance plans if they get sick or have an accident. Once it is fully implemented, the health reform law will give all young Americans access to quality, affordable health care, even if they don’t have an offer of coverage through their job.
Republicans have voted to repeal reform. This would eliminate the consumer protections that are helping millions of young adults right now, and prevent the creation of a marketplace that will provide coverage to millions more young Americans in the years to come. If Republicans win, young adults lose. The Republican repeal agenda would:
* Take many young adults over 18 off their parents' plan, even if they have no other coverage options;
* Terminate free, life-saving preventive coverage - such as checkups and screenings;
* Young adults without insurance through their jobs will not have access to health insurance exchanges, which will provide affordable coverage options;
* Let insurance companies kick young Americans off of their plans if they get sick or have an accident.
(Source: House Roll Call vote 14, Senate Roll Call vote 9)
Today, Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander M. Levin (D-MI) and Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Pete Stark (D-CA), criticized the Republican agenda for young Americans:
Ranking Member Levin: "Health reform is about making the health care system work for American families - not insurance companies. This concept seems lost on Republicans, whose repeal efforts would reverse the age 26 provision, which is already making life easier for young adults and their families."
Ranking Member Stark: "Young adults between 19 and 29 make up nearly a third of the uninsured in the nation. Health reform is helping these individuals now by letting many up to age 26 stay on their parents' plans. Eventually, they will have access to a marketplace where coverage will be more comprehensive and more affordable. Republicans want to turn back the clock and kick these young Americans off their insurance now."
For information on how the health reform law is helping young Americans, please visit: https://go.usa.gov/2ka
