The U.S. Department of Labor and the Employee Benefits SecurityAdministration have released some fast facts on regulations in theAffordable Care Act that allow young adults to stay on theirparents' health care plan until age 26:

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The Affordable Care Act allows young adults to stay on theirparents' health care plan until age 26. Before the President signedthis landmark Act into law, many health plans and issuers could anddid in fact remove young adults from their parents' policiesbecause of their age, leaving many college graduates and otherswith no insurance. This helps to explain problems like:

• Young adults have the highest rate of uninsured of anyage group. About 30% of young adults are uninsured,representing more than one in five of the uninsured. This rate ishigher than any other age group, and is three times higher than theuninsured rate among children.
• Young adults have the lowest rate of access toemployer-based insurance. As young adults transition intothe job market, they often have entry-level jobs, part-time jobs,or jobs in small businesses, and other employment that typicallycomes without employer-sponsored health insurance. The uninsuredrate among employed young adults is one-third higher than olderemployed adults.
• Young adults' health and finances are at risk.Contrary to the myth that young people don't need health insurance,one in six young adults has a chronic illness like cancer, diabetesor asthma. Nearly half of uninsured young adults report problemspaying medical bills.

Providing Relief for Young Adults: