Access to and utilization of medical care for young adults ages 20-29 years: United States, 2008.

KEY FINDINGS Data from the National Health Interview Survey: 2008. Almost 13 million young adults aged 20-29 years did not have health insurance coverage in 2008 (30%). Young men aged 20-29 years were 36% more likely than young women of that age to be uninsured. Young adults aged 20-29 years without insurance were less likely to have a usual source of medical care (44%) than were those with private insurance (80%) or Medicaid (84%). Young adults aged 20-29 years without insurance were four times as likely (21%) as those with private insurance (5%) and two times as likely as those with Medicaid (9%) to have unmet medical need. Uninsured young women aged 20-29 (33%) were almost twice as likely as uninsured young men of that age (18%) to have had unmet prescription medication need in the past 12 months. Health insurance status is a primary indicator of access to medical care in the United States. Historically, in the United States, lack of health insurance coverage has been highest among younger adults (1). In 2008, young adults in the United States aged 20-29 years were almost twice as likely (31%) as adults aged 30-64 years (17%) to lack health insurance coverage. As young adults transition into the workforce, they may be dropped from public health coverage at age 19 or from their parents' policies upon high school or college graduation (2). The low wages or temporary jobs typically available to young adults upon graduation often come with limited or no health benefits. Young adulthood is a high-risk period for unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse, and injuries (3). Pregnancy rates are highest among women aged 20-29 years, which is directly related to the need for health care services (4). Disruption of health insurance coverage can introduce barriers to health care and leave young adults vulnerable to high out-of-pocket expenses in the event of a serious illness or injury (5).