Just 27 percent of young adults are aware of the new health insurance exchanges launching under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Oct. 1, according to a Commonwealth Fund report.
Among young adults who were uninsured at some point during 2013, 19 percent were aware of the exchanges, and only 18 percent of low-income young adults were aware, according to the report. The findings come from The Commonwealth Fund Health Insurance Tracking Survey of Young Adults conducted in 2013.
Additionally, the report found about 7.8 million of the 15 million young adults covered by a parent's health plan last year wouldn't have been eligible for coverage without the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Although the number of uninsured young people decreased from 18.1 million in 2011 to 15.7 million in 2013, those who are still uninsured are mostly low or middle income. With the possibility that up to 25 states will opt not to expand their Medicaid programs, millions of adults could be left without coverage despite health reform, according to the report.
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