Congressman Hodes Supports Expanded Access to Health Insurance for Young Adults

October 14, 2009 -- Washington, DC -- Congressman Paul Hodes today announced his support for legislation that would allow young adults to remain on their parents’ health insurance plans until their 27th birthday. Congressman Hodes has written to the chairmen and chairwoman of the committees that have jurisdiction over health insurance reform, urging them to include this provision in the final health insurance reform bill.

"New Hampshire’s young adults should have access to quality, affordable health care," said Congressman Hodes. "This common sense proposal adds low-risk individuals to the insurance pool, while ensuring that young adults across the Granite State have health insurance during these difficult economic times."

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Young adults make up a significant percentage of the population of the uninsured, and are also typically among the healthiest Americans. Adding these individuals to the insurance pool will have a minimal impact on insurance costs, and ensures that their medical care costs are not passed onto taxpayers. Currently, students lose their parents’ coverage once they have left college. In the current economy, recent graduates are struggling to find jobs that offer health insurance. This provision would ensure that graduates have health insurance during the most uncertain years of their professional careers.

While young adults are generally healthy individuals, they are still at risk for catastrophic events that could result in serious financial difficulties. Congressman Hodes has been a leader in expanding and protecting access to health insurance for young adults. He is the author of Michelle’s Law, which became federal law this past Friday. The law, named after the late Michelle Morse, allows college students to take up to a one year medical leave without losing their health insurance. The New Hampshire-based law passed Congress last year and was signed by President Bush.

Michelle's Law is inspired by the life and memory of Michelle Morse. Michelle was a full time college student at Plymouth State University when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Her doctors advised her to take a medical leave while undergoing chemotherapy, but she could not because she would lose her family's health insurance when she needed it most. Michelle passed away after graduating from Plymouth State University with honors.

The full text of the letter that Congressman Hodes sent to the Chairs of the Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, and Rules Committees is below:

Dear Chairmen Rangel, Waxman, Miller, and Chairwoman Slaughter:

As we continue to consider health reform legislation, we are writing to urge you to include language in the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 (H.R. 3200) that would allow young adults up to the age of 26 to remain on their parents’ health insurance policy.

Young adults ages 19 to 29 are one of the largest segments of the U.S. population without health insurance. They often lose coverage at age 19 or upon high school or college graduation. This segment of population comprises 29 percent of the total number of uninsured Americans.

Because young adults are dropped from their parents’ polices, they are left to find insurance on their own while making the often uneasy transition from high school to college to the working world. The typical young adult frequently changes jobs or holds part-time or temporary jobs – the kind of jobs that generally do not come with health insurance. Young adults are just starting jobs and careers, and often do not have access to job-based coverage. Even when they do have access to health insurance, they often do not have the money to spend on expensive health insurance. The lack of continuity and stability in coverage puts young adults’ health at risk and subjects them and their families to financial stress when they are starting out in the workforce.

The Senate HELP Committee included in its health reform bill a provision that would require group health plans, health insurance issuers, and individual health plans to cover young adults who are not more than 26 years of age if they provide insurance coverage of dependent children. We urge you to include the HELP Committee provision in its health reform legislation so that young adults do not have to worry about losing their health insurance at a time when they are transitioning into workforce.

Source: Congressman Paul Hodes