In September 2011, Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that approximately 1 million young adults gained health insurance in the past year since the dependent coverage expansion up to age 26 took effect. This news both confirms a Gallup poll released today that puts the number of 18 to 25 year-olds covered in the first half of 2011 at about 1 million, and bolsters a Census report released last week showing that insurance rates among young adults were on the rise in 2010.

The news of 1 million newly insured young Americans is clear evidence that the Affordable Care Act is working for our generation.

We all know it’s a tough economy, so it’s more important now than ever that young adults have access to decent, affordable coverage. Thanks to the new health care law, a million less young adults will be forced to choose between paying their rent or maintaining their health insurance. Those struggling to find a job, a job with benefits, or heading back to school with few coverage options, now have the reassurance of staying covered. Thank you, health care reform!

If you’re interested in learning more about these findings, check out the HHS Issue Brief on the increase in young adult coverage. Here’s a graph we pulled from the Gallup Poll, which illustrates the powerful impact of the dependent coverage provision on young adult insurance rates:

NJ Physicians