During times of political disagreement, we stress the importance of bipartisanship to ensure the continued funding of the public programs that are so crucial in supporting young adults living with chronic and rare conditions in America. As patients, we rely on the continued operation of our Federal healthcare agencies to allow for the continued innovation and safety of therapeutics, the continued access to community health centers, the continued access to rural ambulance services, and many other crucial healthcare programs.

Many of these crucial healthcare programs have faced funding cuts prior to the shutdown, especially Medicaid and the premium tax credit program that allows us to access the care we need. As young adults, we face the highest rates of poverty and the highest rates of uninsurance when compared to all other age groups. Young adults are in a time of great transition, with our financial resources prioritized to funding our education, building our families, and ensuring a prosperous future for our nation. Continued funding to Medicaid and the premium tax credit program is critical to allow us to reach our highest potential and to enable young Americans to thrive.

“Resolving the shutdown and protecting the funding to our Federal programs is essential to ensuring the health of our community, and that includes allowing young adults to continue to access affordable health insurance coverage.” Alexander Naum, JD, Policy Manager at Generation Patient.

Political parties must come together to resolve this government shutdown, enabling us to continue pushing for reforms that prioritize young adult patients. We will also continue to advocate for our community to have sustained access to the programs that are needed to protect our continued wellbeing.

“As we await the government to reopen, we also hope that all elected officials can prioritize the need to support Medicaid and the premium tax credit. Americans will feel the detriments of both the shutdown and the loss of insurance. We are ready and willing to work with all who prioritize the health and wellbeing of young adult patients. ” Sneha Dave, Executive Director of Generation Patient.