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House GOP Plan Detrimental to Millennials’ Access to Health Coverage

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 6, 2017
Contact: Sarah Schultz, Sarah.Schultz@YoungInvincibles.org, 202-734-6510

Tonight, House Republicans introduced a bill to repeal and replace the ACA, which would have devastating effects on millions of young adults, a group which has seen the greatest health care gains under the ACA: in the past six years, Millennial uninsurance rates have dropped from 29 percent to 16 percent. Included in the bill are the following provisions that would be particularly detrimental to young people’s health and access to coverage, with statements from Jen Mishory, Executive Director of Young Invincibles:

Continuous Coverage Surcharge: The Millennial Penalty

“House Republicans say that they want to improve the pool and bring costs down for everyone, but this plan would do the exact opposite by imposing a “Millennial Penalty,” letting insurers charge people very steep penalties for brief lapses in coverage commonly resulting from life changes that disproportionately burden young adults, who are more likely to move, change jobs, or lack the resources to handle financial hardships that may lead to lapses in coverage.”

  • Data point: Young people move at twice the national rate, change jobs more than their older counterparts, and have incomes 20 percent less than their parents did at their age – leading to lower savings and wealth accumulation.

Gutting Medicaid
“The proposal states that they are modernizing Medicaid, but their plan would force states to cut access to coverage and care for millions of young people and families that qualify for expanded Medicaid.”

  • Data point: 3.8 million young people have gained coverage through Medicaid expansion. If all states expanded Medicaid, Millennial uninsurance rates could have dropped by as much as another 7 percentage points.

Defunding Planned Parenthood:
“Millions of young people rely on Planned Parenthood: by defunding Planned Parenthood this proposal would slash access to critical health care services for our generation.”