Baldwin Fights Efforts to Repeal Health Care Reforms
Press Release
As House Republicans introduced legislation to repeal health care reforms, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) offered an amendment this week that would retain benefit protection for young adults. Baldwin's amendment, co-authored by Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA), would ensure that young adults under the age of 26 are permitted to remain on their parents' insurance.
Baldwin offered her amendment to the House Rules Committee she said, "on behalf of the 147,000 young people in Wisconsin and approximately 1.2 million young people in the nation who would stand to lose their health care coverage if the new health care reform law is repealed." The new law now allows parents to keep their children on the family's insurance policy up to age 26.
Through her amendment, Baldwin seeks to ensure health care coverage for young adults who are still in school or in entry level jobs that offer no health insurance and those currently seeking employment is these difficult economic times. In 2010, there were 21 million uninsured young people, accounting for approximately one third of the total uninsured population. Because of the slow economic recovery, approximately 15 percent of 20 to 24 year olds were unemployed in the U.S. in August of last year.
Baldwin, whose district includes students at the UW-Madison, UW- Baraboo/Sauk County, UW-Whitewater, Madison College, Beloit College, and Blackhawk Technical College, told the Committee that she has heard "incredible expressions of gratitude and relief (from students and their parents) because, under the new law, young people are able to secure health coverage through their parents' policies."
Regrettably, Baldwin's amendment was blocked from consideration by House Republican leaders who will not allow any amendments to their repeal legislation. "I will continue to work to improve access to affordable, quality health care and will oppose any effort to repeal the health care reforms that benefit our families and our economy," Baldwin said.
Source