[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 38 (Thursday, March 6, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E328]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 A BILL TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM AGE TO QUALIFY FOR COVERAGE AS A CHILD 
        UNDER THE HEALTH BENEFITS PROGRAM FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

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                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 6, 2008

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, young adults are the fastest-
growing age group among the uninsured. Almost 400,000 young adults 
(younger than 24) who graduate from college will be cut off from health 
insurance under their parents' plan or from their universities. A 
report by the Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that aims to 
promote a high performing health care system in the United States, 
showed that 2 out of 5 college graduates are uninsured after they leave 
school.
  Nationwide, 30.6 percent of 18- to 24-year olds are uninsured, making 
them the largest population without coverage in 2005. The numbers 
reflect an increase from 2004, when an estimated 13.7 million people 
age 19 to 29 had no coverage. As recently as 2000, just 2.5 million 
were without health insurance, according to a 2005 survey by the 
Commonwealth Fund.
  Young adults enrolled as dependents in Federal Employee Health 
Benefits Plan (FEHBP) and their parents, will not have to worry about 
being uninsured if this legislation is enacted. This bill would raise 
the age young adults would qualify for health insurance under FEHBP 
from 22 to 25 years of age.
  The federal government should not be contributing to the number of 
Americans that are uninsured. This bill would ensure that at least the 
dependents of federal employees between the age of 22 and 25 get the 
health care and coverage they need.

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