160,000 More Florida Residents Now Have Access to Health Care Thanks to Affordable Care Act

NEWS FROM THE FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY
For Immediate Release: December 15, 2011
Contact: Brannon Jordan, (850) 222-3411

160,000 More Florida Residents Now Have Access to Health Care Thanks to Affordable Care Act
Nationwide health care law helped 2.5 million young adults

Tallahassee, FL – The Florida Democratic Party is pleased to welcome news from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing that the Affordable Care Act continues to significantly increase the number of young adults who have health insurance. Before the Affordable Care Act, more young Americans lacked health insurance than any other age group – accounting for more than one in five of the uninsured. Going without insurance put the health and finances of millions of young people at risk.

Contrary to the myth that young people don’t need health insurance, one in six young adults has a chronic disease like cancer, diabetes or asthma. Studies show that nearly half of uninsured young adults reported problems paying their medical bills and others forwent regular care, like checkups or recommended screenings, due to cost.

“We are excited to welcome the news from the CDC that shows the Affordable Care Act significantly increases the number of young adults who have health insurance,” says Executive Director of the Florida Democratic Party Scott Arceneaux. “In Florida, this increase means that an estimated 160,000 young Americans have access to health care because of the new law.”

President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act to put affordable, quality health insurance back within reach of all Americans. Thanks to the new law, young adults can now stay on their parents’ plan up to age 26.

Originally, HHS projected that 1.24 million young adults would gain coverage in 2011 as a result of this part of the law. The actual numbers far exceed initial expectations. The CDC recently announced that 2.5 million young adults now have health coverage thanks to the Affordable Care Act.

Health care reform does more than just expand coverage. It also puts an end to insurance company abuses.  Already, insurance companies cannot use a lifetime cap or cancel coverage when someone gets sick and millions of Americans can get preventive care without copays or cost-sharing.  And soon, it will be illegal for insurance companies to refuse to cover someone with pre-existing conditions.

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