College Students Increase Activism on Behalf of Nation's 46 Million Uninsured

Health Insurance Coverage

Students, faculty, and school administrators are working outside of the classroom to urge lawmakers to make health coverage for Americans a top national priority. With Census figures showing nearly one in three young adults are living without health insurance coverage, being uninsured is an issue that hits home on many campuses.

Events are being planned before, during, and after Cover the Uninsured Week, May 1-7, 2006. The Week is the largest nonpartisan effort in history to raise awareness about the plight of the nearly 46 million Americans who lack health coverage of any kind.

"Many of our peers are living without health insurance, risking their health and personal finances," said Alik Widge, chair of the American Medical Association Medical Student Section. "As the next generation of America's leaders and health care professionals, we have a duty to speak out on behalf of the millions of uninsured people in this country. Too many working Americans are uninsured and risk ruining their health and financial future because they do not have health care coverage."

Student groups across the nation are planning activities on and off campus, such as discussions about the value of health insurance; events to enroll eligible people in low-cost or free public coverage programs; volunteering at community health clinics; and participating in panel discussions with patient advocates and elected officials.

In addition, students are expressing their concern by visiting the campaign's website at CoverTheUninsured.org to instantly send an e-mail to their members of Congress, find out how they can get involved in efforts underway in their community, and read information especially for young adults about the importance of health insurance and how to make coverage decisions.

"Cover the Uninsured Week provides students with unique opportunities to tell our leaders that health care coverage must be a top priority. As the future leaders of this country, today's students will be directly affected by this problem when their own friends, families, and businesses cannot afford the rising cost of health coverage " and join the ranks of the uninsured as a result," said John Lumpkin, MD, MPH, senior vice president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the lead sponsor of Cover the Uninsured Week. "How to provide affordable, consistent care for the uninsured is not taught in any textbook or classroom. We are grateful that students and their teachers are using their energy and activism to spread the word that every man, woman, and child in America must have health care coverage and our leaders must take action."

Co-chaired by Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, the nonpartisan Cover the Uninsured Week effort is endorsed by 10 former U.S. Surgeons General and U.S. Secretaries of Health and Human Services. Outreach to young adults on campuses is being organized by the American Medical Association Medical Student Section, American Medical Student Association, Association of American Medical Colleges, Association of Schools of Public Health, and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, among others.

At events being held nationwide, students are being urged to:

• Tell Congress that health insurance coverage must be their top priority.

• Spread the word by sending a Cover the Uninsured Week e-mail to friends and ask them to help get America covered.

• Get involved in Cover the Uninsured Week activities to show support.

According to the most recent figures available from the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 46 million Americans, including more than 8 million children, are living without health insurance " forced to gamble every day that they won't get sick or injured. Uninsured Americans live sicker and die younger than those with health insurance. In fact, the nonpartisan Institute of Medicine estimates that nearly 50 people die each day in this country because they are uninsured and could not get the medical care they needed. Just one serious illness or injury can plunge an uninsured person into bankruptcy.

Organizations sponsoring Cover the Uninsured Week include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, AFL-CIO, Healthcare Leadership Council, AARP, United Way of America, American Medical Association, National Medical Association, American Nurses Association, Families USA, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, America's Health Insurance Plans, American Hospital Association, Federation of American Hospitals, Catholic Health Association of the United States, Service Employees International Union, National Alliance for Hispanic Health, The California Endowment, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

A complete listing of campus events being planned around the country, along with the information on health insurance, and other information for students who want to learn more about health coverage in America, is available at www.CoverTheUninsured.org