The National Center for Health Statistics recently released a data brief showing that almost 13 million young adults between the ages of 20 and 29 did not have health care coverage in 2008.
According to a study released in 2005 by Callahan and Cooper in the journal Pediatrics, young adults are at especially high risk for unexpected pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, substance abuse, and injuries.
Jordan Mullin, a 20-year-old male from Roseville, Minn., is one young adult who has no insurance and is struggling to find employment.
Having recently been injured in a skateboarding accident, he was left with $1,600 in medical expenses and no way to pay for it.
Forced to quit his job after the injury, he said, “I am waiting for a collection agency to take me to court and if I can find a job before that happens, I’m going to start a payment plan.”
Mullin, like 30 percent of American adults in his age range, lacks medical insurance and is facing expensive medical costs.
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