New Hampshire Health Insurance Expands Healthy Kids To Young Adults
Yesterday, the Associated Press reported that Governor John Lynch is planning to allow adults from ages 19 to 25 to buy New Hampshire health insurance through the state-subsidized Healthy Kids insurance program. Healthy Kids was previously open to children under 18 only.
After a three-month waiting period, young adults earning individual incomes below 400% of the poverty level ($3,610 per month) and without access to parent- or employer-sponsored health insurance will be allowed to participate in the buy-in program. The economy’s current troubles make it less likely that this age group will quickly find jobs with medical benefits, making this measure even more urgent. Currently, around 22,000 young adults in New Hampshire are uninsured.
The exact cost of the health insurance premiums is being finalized, but the president of Healthy Kids expects it to be less than $200 per month, significantly more affordable than most individual health plans.
