About 4.5 million more young adults are covered by health insurance now than in 2009 because the Affordable Care Act, according to a White House report.
In 2009 nearly a third of those aged 19 to 25 had no health insurance, twice the rate for Americans overall. As of mid-2014, the latest for which statistics are available, the uninsured rate had fallen by more than 40%, or about 4.5 million.
Most of the gains resulted from allowing young adults to remain on a parent’s plan through age 26, and the expansion of coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplaces and Medicaid.
“There is evidence young adults’ expanded access to coverage is increasing their access to health care, improving their health and financial security, and potentially generating long-term benefits for our economy,” according to the report.
“Even with this progress, almost one in five young adults remains,” the report noted. Many of these uninsured young adults are eligible for financial assistance to buy coverage through the Health InsuranceMarketplaces or are eligible for Medicaid.