Over thirteen million young adults between the ages of 19 and 29 lacked health insurance in 2003, a jump of 2.2 million since 2000, a new report from the New York City-based Commonwealth Fund finds.

According to the report, Rite of Passage? Why Young Adults Become Uninsured and How New Policies Can Help, more than 30 percent of 19- to 29-year-olds are uninsured, nearly double the rate for working-age adults over the age of 30. In addition, roughly two of five young adults (38 percent) who graduated from college between the years 1996 and 2000 experienced a time when they were uninsured in the year following graduation. The report also found that those without coverage are far more likely to have problems with medical bills or forgo needed care due to cost than their peers who are covered.

"There are gaping holes in our healthcare system that leave too many young adults vulnerable to risks that could jeopardize their future health and economic security," said Commonwealth Fund senior program officer Sara R. Collins. "To start, we could expand public and private coverage for dependent children to age 23, instead of cutting off coverage at age 19."

To read or download the complete report (12 pages, PDF), visit: http://www.cmwf.org/usr_doc/649_Collins_ritepassage
_2005update.pdf.