Students stand up for U.S. health care reform

The New Jersey Public Interest Research Group held a presentation yesterday targeting students who face the uncertainty of health care coverage upon graduation.
Equipped with statistics, visuals and an endorsement from Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-6, the group urged support for health care reform. The student chapter set up shop in front of Brower Commons on the College Avenue campus despite the chilly, overcast weather conditions.
“The current health care system is failing America’s youth,” said NJPIRG intern Sophia Fishbane, a School of Arts and Sciences student. “Americans aged 18 to 24 are the most likely people in the country to lack health insurance.”
Students who graduate and lose coverage from their parent’s insurance plans often rely on credit cards to pay medical bills. When they do, they accrue an average of $13,000 in debt, she said.
The information comes from a new report unveiled by NJPIRG called “Uncovered: How America’s Health Care System Fails Young People.” The report looks at the rising cost of health care and how inaccessible it can be for young adults.
“Young workers typically have to deal with temporary or lower paid jobs, high job turnover, periods of unemployment and employers who are less likely to offer health benefits,” report author Michael Russo said. “It’s not that young people care less about health care, it’s that every piece of our system makes it harder for them to get the care they need.”
Although NJPIRG put the presentation together, most of the speakers were not affiliated. Representatives of numerous student groups took the stand.
President Barack Obama’s health care bill would restrict insurance companies from arbitrarily denying coverage due to preexisting conditions.
Legislative Affairs Chair for the Rutgers University Student Assembly John Aspray questioned the efficacy of student voices.
“Due to past legislative moves statewide, there have actually been clauses to limit students’ ability to affect legislation in New Jersey. I think removing these barriers to participation is the key to creating a new generation of young leaders who have a vested interest in having mechanism to makes changes in this country,” said Aspray, a School of Arts and Sciences junior.
The bill is being debated in the Senate, and some students are unhappy with the way its opponents represent it.
“Some people connect the bill to words like ‘rationing’ and ‘socialism,’” School of Arts and Sciences junior Chris Pflaum said.
As the event wrapped up, NJPIRG Co-Chair Katie Hubschmitt read a letter from Pallone thanking the various groups for organizing the event.
Acknowledging the different student representatives, Hubschmitt, a School of Arts and Sciences senior, smiled and said, “It’s a myth that young people don’t care.”

9 comments

Sick of Neocons

Sun Nov 22 2009 22:11

Reform for its own sake is not the way to go. However, that implies there is no reason to reform the healthcare system. Which is clearly misguided.

All I'm saying is that if there were a vote held today on passing a public option for healthcare, it would pass with no problem. However, business interests are busy lobbying representatives that are highly removed from the public, while tea-baggers are out there exercising their Brown shirt tactics to scare folks into silence.

Also, treating the US healthcare system as one homogenous service takes some serious self-deception. Rich people can pay for the top specialists, rise to the top of waiting lists, and get around those pesky lines. The power of cash at hand knows no borders. However, poor folks still get shafted with substandard care and denial by private insurers. Hey, its the American Way.

Do some research

Sat Nov 21 2009 08:44

"Rich Canadians come to the US for healthcare, because THEY can afford it." So obvioulsy there is a reason why people come here from Canada for care. The others in Canada wait long periods of time for care. There is charity care and medicaid that handles US citizens that truly can't afford to pay. Before jumping on the bandwagon that this administration can fix the system, I suggest you look up the patient dumping scheme that the first lady was involved in while working at the Univ. of Chicago hospital. Turning people that need care away from hospitals is not what I call making the system better.

Alum

Fri Nov 20 2009 23:36

Has anyone ever visted a Veteran's hospital? Or know a native American that falls under the government health plan. Both of these programs are government run and both fall far short of providing high quality care. If the government can't run healthcare for a small part of the population, why would anyone believe that they could run healthcare for all? The plan for native Americans includes rationing.

The government does NOTHING to make money....it gets its income from taxing citizens. When you get a real job, maybe you'll see things differently.

Sick of Corruption

Fri Nov 20 2009 23:24

RU Student......Your argument makes NO sense. Most children are covered by their parent's insurance even when in college. If there is a reason that a parent's coverage no longer covers a student, colleges and universities offer very low cost health insurance. After that, shouldn't your intent to be to get a job? The problem is not the healthcare system, the problem is that the government doesn't support business, thus it doesn't support the creation of jobs that typically come with health insurance. How does TAXING you solve the problem? You can repeat talking points well, but you have not read or maybe you don't understand the bill. The bill does not allow for high quality insurance. It makes the whole system worse and that isn't fixing anything.

Samir

Fri Nov 20 2009 22:53

Wow. Don't know what you read, dude, but coming in late seems like your the one smearing with "grow up" and who'd rather throw out unsourced facts than persuade. How, exactly, would one disagree and try to change it without disagreeing? Simply mocking an idea as "old" does not invalidate it. Socialism is quite old. Can your democracy bode no idea even so selfevident as "reform" for it's own sake is not enough? The hypocratic oath is "first, do no harm."

Sick of Neocons

Fri Nov 20 2009 20:24

To Chico and S.o.C.:

"It's SOCIALISM!!!111111111"

Grow up, the Cold War is over.

As to your arguments, most are baseless. Rich Canadians come to the US for healthcare, because THEY can afford it. As for the other 90% or more of people, they are happy with their universal healthcare. Even the Conservative party loves it.

And NJPIRG passes a university-wide referendum, administered independently every three years to get their fee. That's democracy. Deal with it, or try to change it, but don't smear it. Although that seems your modus operandi.

This tired old conservative narrative of government takeovers and communist conspiracies is out of place in today's society. But hey, at least you're recycling!

Chico

Fri Nov 20 2009 18:42

"Reform" is not some concrete substance that can be given out like cake, as Theodore Roosevelt once pointed out to the silk stocking reformers. No one is against "reform," but that doesn't mean "reform" is good under any name. A government that's more involved in our health care and that every test is a campaign issue. Remember how choices for abortion should be between "a woman and her doctor"? Why should we insert the government into that decision and every other medical decision? And if you simply ask that question or disagree with the prescription before us, must you be smeared as "anti-reform"?

RU Student

Fri Nov 20 2009 18:15

Sick of corruption: I believe the conference was called for the release of a report citing disturbing statistics about how the current health care system fails the young people. We are the largest demographic that goes entirely without coverage, and this doesn't account for those underinsured. This means too many young people simply forego the expense of seeking out the medical care they need.
In fact, the #1 reason why most students drop out of college is outstanding health care debt. Many of those young people whom are therefore left without a degree worry more about IF they'll get a job than when. Now, THAT'S control.
Also, statistics don't resemble partisanship. This is not, and never should be, a partisan issue.
I find it hard to believe that there's time to read the 1900-paged bill if you're a full-time student... who also has to work to receive minimal health insurance, if they can get it, or to pay these bills if they don't. The current bill would allow young people to remain on their parents' health insurance until age 26, without fear of losing it on their 19th birthday or upon graduation. It also allows them the choice to obtain coverage that is of high-quality, yet affordable. It will also eliminate the insurance companies' ability to reject coverage for those with a pre-existing condition - like, for instance, Adam in the article.
And to that, "Sick..." I'd say, see the doctor - it seems you actually have one.
RE-READ THE BILL.

Sick of corruption

Fri Nov 20 2009 11:10

Did any of you read the healthcare bill? I find it hard to believe that it would get ANY support from anyone that knows what is in it. It is a TAX bill. You will be fined if you don't buy the type of coverage the government thinks you should have. It is about control, that is SOCIALISM. Why do Canadians come to the US for healthcare? Because socialized medicine doesn't work. NJPIRG is a left-wing group....are they still taking money from students right on their term bills? When you get a job, how much do you expect to pay in taxes? You'll be looking at 60% if this horrible tax bill gets passed.
READ THE BILL.

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