FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 18, 2018
Contact: Paydon Miller
(202) 734-6543 | paydon.miller@younginvincibles
New Bill Would Make Coverage More Affordable For 9 Million Young People
The bicameral Advancing Youth Enrollment (AYE) Act would increase financial assistance for young people and stabilize insurance markets.
Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Donald McEachin (VA-4) introduced the Advancing Youth Enrollment (AYE) Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. This bill, like its Senate companion introduced by Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin in March, would make health coverage more affordable for young people by reducing the maximum percent of income that enrollees between 18 and 34 would have to pay toward premiums. By lowering the cost of coverage for young people, the AYE Act would make coverage more accessible for the nation’s most uninsured age group.
A new Young Invincibles analysis of American Community Survey data estimates that more than 9 million people ages 18-to-34 would receive increased financial assistance as a result of the AYE Act, including 5.7 million currently uninsured young people. 37 states would see at least 10 percent of their total young adult population benefit, bringing more young people into local exchanges and further stabilizing the market.
“We’re thrilled to see a bill to help young adults access quality health coverage against the continued efforts by this Administration to take away coverage and force struggling young people into junk health plans as the only affordable option. Young people want quality health insurance that covers things that are important to them like preventive care, mental health care, and birth control. The AYE Act will help make this kind of coverage more affordable to 9 million young people for whom coverage has still been out of reach, while further stabilizing the health insurance marketplace.
We commend Congressman McEachin and the AYE Act’s 14 original co-sponsors in the House of Representatives for recognizing the critical role that young adult’s access to quality, affordable health insurance plays in keeping our country healthy and stabilizing the market.”
Rachel Fleischer, Executive Director of Young Invincibles.
The AYE Act was introduced in the House of Representatives with 14 original co-sponsors: Congressman Al Green (TX-9), Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-9), Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-8), Congressman Jose Serrano (NY-15), Congressman Andre Carson (IN-7), Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), Congressman Seth Moulton (MA-6), Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-3), Congressman Alcee Hastings (FL-20), Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Congressman Dwight Evans (PA-2), and Congresswoman Nanette Barragan (CA-44).