From the health blog at The New Republic:
Twentysomethings are disproportionately uninsured more than other age groups. (This Health Access fact sheet offers some statistics.) For too long, this has been attributed as a matter of choice–the so-called “young invincibles.” But my review of the data suggests that young people take up employer-based coverage at similar rates to older workers. Most of the difference is not really about age or attitude, but income and job type.
Graduates who gain employment in this economy will likely find it in low-income, entry level jobs that are, relative to other jobs, less likely to offer health coverage. Even those graduates on professional tracks start at lower incomes. They may face months or even years to qualify for on-the-job benefits.
This is one of the issues health reform seeks to address, that young people in lower paying jobs deserve health coverage as much as people who are older or earn more.
