Besides sending them scrambling for jobs, the lackluster employment market also puts many young adults without health insurance: about a third, or 13.7 million, of America's uninsured are under 30.
But that's all about to change. According to the New York Times, a new report from the Commonwealth Fund reveals that most of the young and uninsured could become covered by 2014.
The Times has more on the impending benefits:
Relief will come sooner for 1.2 million young people whose parents have health coverage but who fell off family policies when they graduated from high school or college.Beginning in late September, health insurers will be required to cover children on family health plans through age 25, and many companies are making the change now so new college graduates do not face gaps in coverage.
In addition to extended parental coverage, about 7 million young adults will be qualify for insurance through Medicaid in 2014, and 5.6 million will be eligible for government subsidies for private care.
Experts hope that the new plan will change the stigma that health care's costs outweigh its benefits. As Health Policy Center senior fellow Linda Blumberg told the Times: "... I do believe the country is going to begin to shift culturally in a way that people are going to understand that the expectation -- the norm -- is that people are supposed to have health coverage."
What's your take on health care reform for young people? Are you covered? Let us know in the comments section.