The New Jersey Public Interest Research Group held a presentation
yesterday targeting students who face the uncertainty of health care
coverage upon graduation.
Equipped with statistics, visuals and an endorsement from Rep. Frank
Pallone Jr., D-6, the group urged support for health care reform. The
student chapter set up shop in front of Brower Commons on the College
Avenue campus despite the chilly, overcast weather conditions.
“The current health care system is failing America’s youth,” said NJPIRG
intern Sophia Fishbane, a School of Arts and Sciences student.
“Americans aged 18 to 24 are the most likely people in the country to
lack health insurance.”
Students who graduate and lose coverage from their parent’s insurance
plans often rely on credit cards to pay medical bills. When they do,
they accrue an average of $13,000 in debt, she said.
The information comes from a new report unveiled by NJPIRG called
“Uncovered: How America’s Health Care System Fails Young People.” The
report looks at the rising cost of health care and how inaccessible it
can be for young adults.
“Young workers typically have to deal with temporary or lower paid jobs,
high job turnover, periods of unemployment and employers who are less
likely to offer health benefits,” report author Michael Russo said.
“It’s not that young people care less about health care, it’s that every
piece of our system makes it harder for them to get the care they
need.”
Although NJPIRG put the presentation together, most of the speakers were
not affiliated. Representatives of numerous student groups took the
stand.
President Barack Obama’s health care bill would restrict insurance
companies from arbitrarily denying coverage due to preexisting
conditions.
Legislative Affairs Chair for the Rutgers University Student Assembly
John Aspray questioned the efficacy of student voices.
“Due to past legislative moves statewide, there have actually been
clauses to limit students’ ability to affect legislation in New Jersey. I
think removing these barriers to participation is the key to creating a
new generation of young leaders who have a vested interest in having
mechanism to makes changes in this country,” said Aspray, a School of
Arts and Sciences junior.
The bill is being debated in the Senate, and some students are unhappy
with the way its opponents represent it.
“Some people connect the bill to words like ‘rationing’ and
‘socialism,’” School of Arts and Sciences junior Chris Pflaum said.
As the event wrapped up, NJPIRG Co-Chair Katie Hubschmitt read a letter
from Pallone thanking the various groups for organizing the event.
Acknowledging the different student representatives, Hubschmitt, a
School of Arts and Sciences senior, smiled and said, “It’s a myth that
young people don’t care.”
