Obviously, my title is intended to be sarcastic… 30% of the uninsured are 19 to 29 years old… sad. Simply sad. Also, i know that i thought of myself as invincible back when i was that age… but i also think that when confronted with the hefty premium cost of an individual policy vs. taking a chance [in my youth] – well, what would you choose in your youthful ignorance.
Young adults lead in lacking healthcare: CHICAGO (Reuters)Adults aged 19 to 29 are the biggest group of the newly uninsured, according to an independent research group’s report released on Wednesday That age group made up 30 percent of the 45 million Americans without health insurance in 2005, according to the nonpartisan Commonwealth Fund. Young adults, many who are just entering the workforce and can’t afford the high cost of individual insurance, are the big drivers of an increase in uninsured adults, the report said. “They are at a vulnerable place in the labor market,” said study author Sara Collins, an assistant vice president at the fund. U.S. employers, especially smaller businesses, are increasingly opting not to offer health insurance, leaving workers to fend for themselves in the health insurance market. “If you don’t get coverage through your employer, you’re left to the individual market, and it’s a very difficult market to negotiate,” Collins said. Health insurance officials often cite their efforts to market to uninsured young adults. Insurers describe this demographic as the “young invincibles,” saying this group adopts an attitude that their youth protects them and therefore they do not need insurance.
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