Photos by Josh Landau/Young Invincibles
This blog was written by Arielle Koreyasu, Campus Progress Intern
Yesterday, Campus Progress joined 20 other youth organizations on the Hill for the Y.I. Want Change Lobby Day. The Y.I. Want Change coalition represents about 1.5 million young Americans and is working to add the youth voice to the health care debate. The Lobby Day allowed for over 100 students from 30 different states to participate in meetings with their elected officials, promoting the coalition’s health care policy priorities[pdf].
The Y.I. Policy Agenda outlines key priorities for health care reform that will directly benefit young adults ages 18-34. Such policies include a public option, lower premium caps for low-income Americans, funding for health care reform education, and extending the age for receiving coverage under a parent’s health insurance plan to age 26.
This provision is strongly supported by President Obama and the Senate HELP Committee, one of the key committees drafting health care legislation in the Senate. And yesterday, the House announced its plans to include this common sense provision to their health care reform bill as well. The Y.I. Want Change coalition participated in the press conference marking this announcement yesterday, which took place on Capitol Hill and was held by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Representatives Van Hollen (D-MD) and Dahlkemper (D-PA), who expressed their ardent support for young Americans’ access to affordable, comprehensive and fair health care. The Speaker announced the provision that will allow young Americans to stay on their parents’ insurance until their 27th birthday as a major victory for young adults and their role in the health care debate.
“Our young people are our future. This is our opportunity to lay a foundation for growth, progress, and prosperity for our youth, and provide affordable, quality health care to every American. It is an opportunity we will not miss,” said Speaker Pelosi.
While the Lobby Day proved to be a success, with many moderate Democrats expressing their support for some of the key policy priorities including anti-discrimination provisions and funding for health care workforce training, Campus Progress and the Y.I Want Change coalition will continue to maintain a presence in the national health care reform debate. We will be urging policymakers to support some of the more controversial yet significant priorities, such as a public option, and to remember young Americans when passing the final version of the health care bill. As young people make up an outstanding one-third of the uninsured population, health care reform is and will continue to be a priority for us.
Get involved with the Y.I. Want Change Coalition now and add your photo to the National Photo Petition for Health Care Reform.