Realizing Health Reform’s Potential: Young Adults and the Affordable Care Act of 2010

In 2009, about 14.8 million young adults between the ages of 19 and 29 were uninsured; another 5 million people in the age group were underinsured—they had health insurance policies with high-out-of-pocket costs. About 42% of uninsured or underinsured young adults had been covered by a parent’s health insurance plan, but had lost eligibility after graduating from high school or college. To address this gap, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) included a provision that went into effect September 30, 2010, that requires group health plans to extend children’s . . .