Young People Face Higher Costs if Health Care is Repealed

Young adults will face higher costs if efforts to repeal the
federal health care law prevail, according to The
Cost of Repeal for Young Adults: Examining
the Impact of Repealing the New Federal Health Care Law on Young Adults,
a new report released today by U.S. PIRG.

"When you examine the evidence, repeal of the federal health care law
comes with a cost that young Americans can't afford,"
said Larry
McNeely, U.S. PIRG Health Care Advocate.

The new report draws on data from independent
sources, including the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, other
government agencies, business groups and health analysts. Its findings
include the following:

*Insurance costs would skyrocket for 1.2
million young adults who would no longer be able to purchase coverage
through their parents' plans.

*Young women would continue to pay to 50%
more when purchasing health coverage than men do. For example, a 22 year old woman
would continue to be charged up to 50% more than a 22 year old man for
equivalent coverage.

*Young workers would face higher health
costs and fewer jobs because repeal would drive up the per-employee cost of
providing employer-sponsored coverage by more than $3000 a year and cost the American economy up to 4 million jobs over
the next decade.

* Young people who purchase their own
coverage could face significant costs, if they experience illness or injury- because repeal would return to insurers
the power to rescind coverage for paperwork errors or deny coverage
altogether due to a pre-existing condition.

The
Cost of Repeal for Young Adults also recommends a set
of pro-active policy changes on which supporters and opponents of last
year's health care law should be able to find common ground, including
establishment of strong state exchanges, pursuit of additional policies to
contain costs, and stronger consumer protections against balance billing by
hospitals.