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Uninsured Millennials, Health Advocates to Unveil Scroll of 13,000 Petition Signatures Urging Speaker Crisafulli Close the Coverage Gap

FOR PLANNING PURPOSES

Contact:
Sarah Lovenheim, sarah.lovenheim@younginvincibles.org, 585-746-8281

[Tallahassee] — On Tuesday, June 2, health advocates and Millennials falling in Florida’s coverage gap will be delivering petitions urging the house to come to an agreement on Medicaid expansion during next week’s special legislative session. Petitions will be delivered to House Speaker Steve Crisafulli’s office, in which they will deliver a scroll of more than 13,000 petition signatures urging the Legislature to close Florida’s health care coverage gap.

Katy Huddlestun, a Florida student of Florida International University and one of 300,000 Millennials stuck in the coverage gap, will lead the procession to the Speaker’s office and share her coverage gap story with Crisafulli’s office. Katy Huddlestun and Christina Postolowski of Young Invincibles will be available for interviews following the petition delivery.

WHAT: Petition delivery to Speaker of the House

WHO: Florida Millennials in the health coverage gap (available for interviews), community and health stakeholders

WHERE: Capitol Building, center of the rotunda, 4th floor

WHEN: Tuesday, June 2, 10:30 am

A recent analysis from Young Invincibles and Florida CHAIN found that Millennials account for about one-third of the low-income residents in Florida’s coverage gap. The brief also suggests that a lack of access to coverage for these young people could threaten the state’s degree attainment goals and consequentially their employment and earnings potential.

Additionally, the Florida Coverage Gap was created by the failure of Florida lawmakers to accept more than $50 billion made available to our state by the Affordable Care Act so that Floridians making around the poverty line or less could get access to affordable health
are coverage. Florida’s decision to leave these people uninsured is costing the state nearly a half billion dollars a year.

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