New data shows that healthcare reform’s dependent coverage rule has led to nearly one million young adults acquiring medical insurance.
The Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) just announced that the results from a national health survey show the percentage of adults between the ages of 19 and 25 with health insurance increased by 3.5% in the first quarter of 2011.
That means about one million young adults who didn’t have coverage last year are now insured.
Under the healthcare reform law, medical plans must extend coverage to participants’ children until age 26.
Federal researchers are saying the increase is a result of the reform law mandate.
“While it is theoretically possible that the increase in insurance coverage for young adults in 2011 is due to some factor other than the Affordable Care Act, it is hard to identify a plausible alternative explanation for the increase in coverage among young adults,” said a statement released by the HHS.
The HHS also said its conclusion is supported by findings from other organizations.
Some stats the HHS points to:
- A recent Gallup survey shows the rate of insured adults ages 18 to 25 went from 71% in the first quarter of 2010 to 75.1% in the second quarter of 2011, and
- Results from a U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey found roughly 400,000 additional adults ages 19 to 25 were insured during 2010 compared to 2009.
