U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Introduces Amendment to Oppose Legislation that Would Make Young Americans Sick Again

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin introduced an amendment to protect the Affordable Care Act’s benefits for young adults, including the reform that allows young people to stay on their parents’ health plan until age 26.

“As someone who didn’t have access to quality health insurance until my twenties, I was proud to champion this reform that allows young people to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26 during my time in the House of Representatives,” said Senator Baldwin. “The people of Wisconsin did not send me to Washington to take their health care away or make young people sick again. These young adults are our next generation of leaders, so I will continue to fight to prevent Republicans from jeopardizing our country’s economic future by robbing them of affordable health care.”

The Baldwin amendment is cosponsored by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Al Franken (D-MN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). 

Specifically, the Baldwin amendment would create a point of order against legislation that would reduce the number of young Americans enrolled in public or private health insurance, weaken dependent coverage of children up to age 26 under the Affordable Care Act and weaken access to care by increasing premiums or out-of-pocket costs for young Americans.

An estimated 6.1 million young adults have gained health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act because of the law’s benefit allowing children to stay on their parents’ health plan, as well as the other important benefits and health insurance market protections, including premium tax credits and cost-sharing assistance. The health law also strengthens coverage for our most vulnerable youth by allowing the more than 20,000 foster care youth who age out each year to stay enrolled in Medicaid until the age of 26.

A copy of the amendment is available here.