The founders of Young Invincibles are a small group of family and friends. We are students, workers, citizens and believers in change. We are not affiliated with any political party nor are we a product of any organization or group. We know how important our generation was to securing change in the 2008 election. We also know that the health care debate in America is going on right now without us. We are not being engaged.

Young Invincibles wants to change that. Why? First, because young Americans, like all Americans, need health care. We need it as a safeguard today and to ensure our opportunities tomorrow. Second, because we know that mobilizing young Americans could make the difference between the passage of comprehensive health care reform or yet another failed opportunity for change. And we can't afford another failed opportunity.

Join us in our effort. We need your voice. America does too.

Young Invincibles believe in:

Access No one should be denied care because they are too young, too old, too risky, too sick, or too poor. Access should be about getting you the care you need. It should not depend on where you live or how much money you have. Health insurance should be easy to get, easy to keep, and coverage should be easy to understand.

Universality All Americans, including young people, deserve the peace of mind that comes with knowing that when they get sick or hurt they can get good medical care without facing the prospect of financial ruin. All Americans, including young healthy people, should be responsible for securing health insurance, as long as the government provides sufficient income-based subsidies to make such a mandate affordable for all Americans.

Affordability Whether we are securing coverage through our employers or buying it on the individual market, we need affordable premiums, limited co-pays and reasonable deductibles.

Basic Requirements All health plans should have to cover basic preventive care, as well as the care necessary to treat more serious chronic diseases and conditions. A pre-existing condition should never be the basis for a denial of coverage or care.

Real Choice We need more choices when it comes to health care plans. Americans who get benefits through work should be able to keep those benefits if they choose. The millions of Americans who are working jobs that don’t offer insurance, who are out of work and looking for a job, or who are in school or training for a new job, should have the opportunity to purchase affordable and comprehensive insurance plans on their own. We support a competitive market for health insurance, where a variety of private and public insurance options can compete for our dollars by lowering costs and improving quality.

Efficiency and Effectiveness We need to reform Medicare and Medicaid payment policies so that our spending rewards quality of care, rather than quantity of care. We need to fund comparative effectiveness research that allows us to make better use of our health care spending. And we need to make changes that allow our doctors to work together to coordinate care, manage chronic illness, and help Americans to live full, healthy lives. Finally, we need to use all of the information technology at our disposal to lower costs, cut waste, and reduce medical error.

Fiscal Responsibility We cannot allow a new health care system to be established without oversight and a system of checks and balances to prevent against fraud, greed, and programs that simply don’t work. Meaningful cost control measures must be put in place to ensure the long-term sustainability of our health care system.

Facts A tremendous amount of research exists that can give us clear answers about how to structure a health care system. Too often, the facts we know are ignored because ideology gets in the way. We should be making choices based on data and programs with a proven track record, not based on rhetoric and fear-mongering.

Seizing the Day Passing one piece of legislation won’t solve all of the health care system’s problems. But if nothing is passed, those problems will only get worse. This is our opportunity to begin to repair our health care system. We cannot afford to squander it.

YI and Issues That Impact Young Adults: Young Invincibles is also committed to working on other critical issues for young adults. Here is a letter we put together with other youth groups in support of strong, comprehensive financial reform.

Questions? Email us at Questions@YoungInvincibles.org.

Media? Email us at Media@YoungInvincibles.org.

Young Invincibles is fiscally sponsored by the Center for Community Change, a 501(c)(3) organization. Their fiscal sponsorship allows Young Invincibles to raise needed contributions from people like you. Your contributions will be tax deductible. If you would like to donate by check or have questions, email us at Give@YoungInvincibles.org.