Young Adults More Likely Than Any Other Age Group to Go Uninsured

02/25/2010

Because they are transitioning between jobs and locations, many young adults often go without insurance.

Recent studies show that almost one-third of people in their 20s did not have health insurance in 2008, with the problem more pronounced among men. Consequently, these individuals may avoid costly medications or visits to the doctor - until it's too late.

"If you don't have insurance you're less likely to have a usual source of medical care. You're also less likely to have visited a doctor and you're more likely to have an unmet medical need," Robin Cohen, of the National Center for Health Statistics, told BusinessWeek.

Ten percent of people in this age group had a medical need they did not meet because of costs, according to the report. Women were more likely than men to have an unmet medical need, but also showed higher rates of visiting their doctors.

People over 19 are no longer eligible for Medicaid coverage, and will be dropped by their college plan after graduation. Temporary or low-wage jobs held by many post-graduates offer little or no health insurance options, according to the report.

Census figures show that the number of people without health insurance decreased by 47 million to 45.7 million in 2007.

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