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Statement: Defunding Navigator Programs Attacks Resources That Help Young People Get Covered

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2018
Contact: Paydon Miller
(202) 734-6543 | paydon.miller@younginvincibles.org

Statement: Defunding Navigator Programs Attacks Resources That Help Young People Get Covered

Bill would prohibit funding for enrollment services that benefit young people, who are often new to the enrollment process.

Washington, DC – Earlier today, the House Appropriations Committee released a draft of the FY19 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education funding bill. This bill is a blow to young adults, cutting funding to critical health care and higher education programs that will make it harder for young people to achieve economic security.

For instance, the bill would prohibit funding for the Affordable Care Act’s Navigator program, which provides critical education and enrollment help to hundreds of thousands of individuals find coverage through the ACA’s individual marketplace and Medicaid. In fact, consumers are about twice as likely to enroll in coverage if they use in-person assistance compared to those who attempt to enroll on their own.

In response to these drastic cuts to the Navigator program, Rachel Fleischer, Executive Director of Young Invincibles, issued the following statement:

“House Republicans have launched yet another blatant and dangerous act of sabotage against a law that has helped eight million young adults gain coverage. Defunding the Navigator program will make it harder for young people and other underserved communities new to the enrollment process to get the help they need to get covered. Young people want quality health care, and are paying more attention than ever to what politicians are doing.”